STORIES OF PROJECT PARTICIPANTS
Roman, 35 y.o.
Roman is from the Kyiv region. Before the full-scale invasion, he worked as a presenter and entertainer. In 2022, he joined the Kyiv region’s Territorial Defense Forces while his home in the Bucha district was under occupation. In 2023, Roman joined a newly formed unit to take part in the counteroffensive in the Donetsk region. He later became the commander of the Askold reconnaissance unit. Over the next three years, he carried out combat missions in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions and in the Kursk sector. In March 2026, while leading his team out of their positions in the Sumy region, Roman stepped on a mine. As a result of the injury, he lost his leg below the knee. Roman is now undergoing his first prosthetic fitting and participating in a gait optimization program as part of the project. His wife and eight-year-old daughter support him throughout his recovery. His advice to others is not to dwell on the injury, but to accept the changes in their bodies and keep moving forward.
Oleksii, 42 y.o.
Oleksii spent the past ten years serving in anti-tank weapons operations. Since the beginning of the russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he had taken part in combat operations in eastern Ukraine. On April 5, 2025, during a combat mission in the Pokrovsk sector, Oleksii sustained a blast injury caused by a munition dropped from an enemy drone. “Those were difficult days: the enemy first used chemical weapons against our positions and then dropped ‘petal’ mines,” he recalls. As a result of the injury, Oleksii lost his leg above the knee. Oleksii is now undergoing secondary lower-limb prosthetic fitting and gait adaptation training. He devotes much of his time to raising his children and simply enjoying life.
Andrii, 35 y.o.
Andrii is a restaurateur from Kyiv. In February 2022, he volunteered to defend Ukraine. He first took part in the liberation of the Kyiv region and later fought in the Kharkiv region. Andrii was injured while carrying out a combat mission in the Serebrianskyi Forest in the Luhansk region. During a tank attack, he sustained a traumatic amputation of his right leg above the knee. Andrii is now receiving a replacement prosthesis through the program. He wants to regain his mobility as soon as possible and lead his best life.
Kostiantyn, 48 y.o.
Kostiantyn is from the Kharkiv region. He took part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in 2015 and later worked as a driver in civilian life. In February 2022, he voluntarily returned to military service to defend Ukraine. In April 2025, Kostiantyn was evacuating wounded servicemen in the Vovchansk sector when his vehicle struck a mine. As a result of the explosion, he lost both legs below the knee. Kostiantyn is now receiving his first prostheses. His wife is always by his side, and together they dream of traveling once he learns to walk confidently with them.
Oleksandr, 27 y.o.
Oleksandr volunteered for military service as soon as the full-scale war began in Ukraine. After completing combat training, he joined the Rubizh 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine as a machine gunner. In November 2024, while withdrawing from positions in the Bakhmut district of the Donetsk region, Oleksandr came under enemy mortar fire. A nearby dugout saved his life, but shrapnel severely injured his leg. As a result, he underwent a partial foot amputation. Oleksandr is now recovering and receiving a replacement prosthesis. In the near future, he plans to continue his service with an air defense unit protecting Kyiv.
Ruslan, 39 y.o.
Ruslan was living and working abroad when the full-scale war began in Ukraine. After learning about russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he returned home the very next day and rejoined the battalion in which he had served during the Anti-Terrorist Operation in 2014. In April 2022, while fighting for a settlement near the border of the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, Ruslan came under enemy mortar fire. As a result of his injuries, he lost his right leg. Ruslan is now receiving a replacement prosthesis. The support of his family and his involvement in sports are helping him return to an active life. He plays for Ukraine’s national amputee football team and dreams of winning the upcoming championship.