The first armored ambulances have appeared in the Belgorod region. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov handed over two such vehicles to the administration of the Grayvoronsky district on March 20. According to him, this is a unique experience for the region: the vehicles received not only a reinforced body, but also electronic warfare equipment and the so-called "barbecue grills". All medical personnel working on site are provided with bulletproof vests, helmets and personal protective equipment.
The technical equipment of the vehicles is adapted to work in conditions of increased risk. The armor protects the crew and patients from shrapnel and small arms bullets, and anti-drone modules reduce the likelihood of an air attack. At the same time, the internal equipment allows providing assistance at the level of a standard ambulance: ventilators, defibrillators, sets for emergency interventions — everything is preserved.
Statistics show why such solutions have become necessary. In 2025, ambulance crews in the region went to eliminate the consequences of shelling more than 2.8 thousand times. More than four thousand victims were taken to hospitals, almost one and a half thousand of them civilians. In total, the service received more than 400 thousand calls, half of which were in the border areas and Belgorod.
The fleet of special vehicles will continue to grow. By the end of March, another 13 armored vehicles should arrive in the region. About 20 more vehicles are expected in April, and negotiations are already underway to supply an additional 18 units of equipment. At the same time, the region is studying the experience of the new subjects of the Russian Federation in creating "anti-drone corridors" — protected sections of roads where UAV suppression systems are installed along the routes. The construction of such infrastructure in the border areas will begin as soon as weather conditions permit.