Even after limb loss, life can remain active, vibrant, and full of positive emotions. Once again, this was powerfully demonstrated by the veterans at the Go to the Future charity run, held by our team for the second year in a row at the Expocenter of Ukraine in Kyiv.
On June 8, more than 1,500 participants came together to support defenders who lost limbs in the war and are now undergoing a challenging path of rehabilitation and prosthetics.
This year’s run was twice as powerful in emotion, scaling, and number of participants. The event brought together those who are running for the second time — veterans who have completed their rehabilitation, and those who are just beginning their recovery path. Corporate teams that have stood by our side from the very beginning once again joined the race, continuing to support the mission of Go to the Future. Learn how it all started in last year’s video.
This year, among the participants were active service members, veterans with prosthetics and wheelchairs, celebrities, influencers, representatives of Ukrainian businesses, and teams from the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the National Police of Ukraine, the State Emergency Service, and the National Guard — all united by the belief that sport is also a way to support one another.
In accordance with tradition, the run was officially inaugurated by the FFU representatives along with the event’s general partner, Medical Center Orthotics & Prosthetics (MCOP). Olena Nikolaienko, President of FFU in the USA, thanked all the participants and emphasized that supporting veterans in their adaptation path is something every person can do:
“Businesses can create inclusive workplaces and develop specialized training programs to help veterans retrain for new professions.
If a veteran who has lost a limb lives in your building, help install a ramp — do whatever is within your power.
After all, these heroes have sacrificed their health to protect us.”
After the official opening, participants warmed up their muscles during a fun and energetic workout session led by the race’s partner, SMARTASS, and comedian and volunteer Vasyl Baidak.
The run kicked off with the Unity Relay, featuring veterans with prosthetics and public figures. Participants split into five teams and completed a symbolic 400-meter distance together.
Each team was led by a military veteran who had completed a free prosthetics and rehabilitation program at the MCOP prosthetic center, supported by Future for Ukraine. The teams were named after the call signs of their captains: Holden, Monaco, Yenot, Younger, and Phantom.
The main goal of the Unity Relay was not to compete for speed but to demonstrate solidarity and support for veterans. Still, one team leader, Vladyslav Kurilov, finished first. Vlad participated in the relay in a wheelchair, having recently injured his knee and temporarily set aside his prosthetics. At just 24 years old, he lost both legs due to severe injuries and a prolonged evacuation near the village of Robotyne on the Zaporizhzhia direction. This was Vlad’s second time taking part in the run. For him, it’s never about how you move — it’s about the will to move forward. And that’s exactly what he proves during all this time — just weeks ago, Vlad climbed Mount Kukul in the Carpathian on prosthetic legs. During this charity run, he completed both the Unity Relay and a 2 km race alongside his rehabilitation specialist.
The Junger Team was led by Artem Ivankov, aged 20, who received a running prosthesis from MCOP Ukraine especially for the event. Artem has undergone a gait optimization program at the center. He dreams of running a marathon on a prosthetic leg, and Go to the Future 2025 participation marked his very first step toward that dream.
Artem’s story and the Go to the Future charity run were featured during prime time on ABC News. The American news outlet’s correspondent visited Kyiv to speak with Ukrainian veterans participating in the gait training program at MCOP Ukraine and with Michael Corcoran, CEO of the center. The emotional video broadcast about the resilience of Ukrainian veterans and the impact of MCOP’s work in Kyiv is available on the ABC News website.
For Oleh Veselov, captain of the Phantom Team and a special operations officer, participating in the run was a chance to feel alive again. In May 2024, he sustained a traumatic brain injury and a serious leg wound from an explosion, which led to the amputation of his left leg. Oleh underwent a long and complex rehabilitation
Another powerful finish came from Hlib Kravchenko, captain of the Holden Team, who ran the distance confidently on his prosthetic leg. Being a veteran, his mission at the race was to demonstrate to the world that veterans with amputations are capable of far more than people expect.
Among famous Ukrainians who joined the run were TV broadcaster and travel blogger Anton Ptushkin, Ukrainian rapper OTOY, TV and radio broadcaster Anatoliy Anatolich, Liga Smihu coach Ivan Liulenov, singer Alekseev, television producer Volodymyr Zavadiuk, stand-up comedian Vasyl Baidak, singer Anna Zavalskaya, twerk choreography MAMASITA, comedian and actor Povar Danil, and others.
After the Unity Relay, the 5 km and 2 km races began. Veterans on running prostheses, in wheelchairs, on crutches; police officers in tactical gear; activists wearing shirts supporting the Azovstal defenders; professional athletes and amateur runners — everyone ran at their own pace, united by one goal: to support veterans with limb loss on their path to recovery.
Children again participated in the Go to the Future charity run as in the previous year. Young Ukrainians had the option to run 400 or 800 meters.
4-year-old Luka dedicated his run to Maksym Driuchenko, a veteran who lost his leg and arm during a mortar attack on the front lines and is currently undergoing a gait optimization program at MCOP Ukraine.
The event’s biggest surprise came at the very end. Oleksii Dernov, who received prosthetics and rehabilitation under the FFU program, stepped behind the DJ booth for the first time and played a debut set with Kyiv Morning Coffee Club, a community known for early-morning dance parties.
Oleksii, a marine who lost his arm in 2023 during combat in the Donetsk region, believes that life’s toughest moments every person should face with dignity. After receiving his prosthesis, he returned to work at Ukrzaliznytsia, resumed his fencing hobby, and embraced new experiences — including trying his hand at DJing.
The Go to the Future 2025 charity event raised over UAH 1.4 million and united even more people across the running and veteran communities. That means one thing: the mission continues — to support veterans on their way to a better future.
We are sincerely grateful to all the partners whose joint efforts made this charity event possible:
- General Partner — Medical Center Orthotics & Prosthetics (MCOP)
- Expocenter of Ukraine (VDNG) for providing the space for the event.
- Sport Partner — Smartass
- Run Partners — Delta Sport, Roosh, Appflame, Pfizer, Elis, Kyiv Morning Coffee Club, Trash, Traumeel S, and Franz Audio.
- Medical Partner — Oxford Medical, for providing ambulances during the event.
Special thanks to TM Morshynska for providing water to all runners and TM FIZI for tasty and healthy snacks for every participant.
We also thank our media partners for their information support and event coverage:
5 Kanal, Novyny.LIVE, Starlight Media, TyKyiv, Kyiv24, Radio Champion, Fartlek, and Bihanuti.
The event received over 150 media mentions in total. It was covered by Vogue, Mezha, The Village, TyKyiv, 5 Kanal, 24 Kanal, and other prominent media platforms. Video coverage aired on Rada TV, Vikna Novyny, Fakty ICTV.
We are also grateful to the corporate teams that participated in the run, including:
MCOP Ukraine, DILA Laboratory, MVK, Appflame, “Dopomohator” Foundation, SECTA RUN CLUB, LIVE.Network, Kyiv Morning Coffee Club, MHP, THRASH!, H&M, FABO, ARZINGER, National Police of Ukraine, Ministry of Digital Transformation, The Burger / The Cake, Loggerhead, Milk Bar, Good Girl, and many others who joined us!
We are pleased to see this event resonate so strongly with Ukrainians’ intentions for the second year in a row. Together, we’re proving that Ukrainian veterans are capable of more — building active lives after amputation and even running again!
We have already started preparing for the next charity run in support of veterans who lost limbs — Go to the Future 2026.
If you’d like to become an event partner, please reach out to us at [email protected].
