Only veterans themselves truly know what it costs to return to an active life after amputation. Every day, they have to relearn how to walk, manage daily tasks, fulfill themselves professionally — all while overcoming social barriers.
That is why, together with director Dasha Shy, the FFU foundation created a short film that speaks to the feelings veterans often hide behind brave faces. This important social project was made possible with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund as part of the “Strong Civil Society of Ukraine - a Driver towards Reforms and Democracy” project, implemented by ISAR Ednannia, funded by Norway and Sweden.
The main character of the video is Hlib Kravchenko, a veteran of the 3rd Army Corps and a participant in the Future for Ukraine prosthetics program.
Before the full-scale invasion, Hlib worked as an HR director at an IT company, and when the war began, he volunteered in his hometown of Dnipro. In 2024, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine — not to watch history unfold, but to shape it.
Serving in what was then the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade under the call sign "Holden", Hlib carried out combat missions in the East of Ukraine, until, in September 2024, an FPV drone cut that path short: as a result of shrapnel wounds, the defender lost his left leg.
Following a high-level amputation, Hlib had to rebuild his life from the ground up. But through determination and high-tech prosthetics provided under the Future for Ukraine foundation program, the 27-year-old veteran was able to return to an active civilian life. "A prosthesis is a tool, but moving forward is a decision you make yourself, every single day," — Hlib believes.
During his rehabilitation, Hlib met Alina in the park, and that meeting became no less important for his recovery than the prosthesis. The couple is now preparing for their wedding. Hlib has returned to his civilian career and leads the recruitment department at a Ukrainian miltech company. Step by step, he is reclaiming the life that the war took from him.
Hlib's story is also the story of thousands of other veterans and civilians who have lost limbs because of the war. It tells of the trials a person goes through after amputation, and why an accessible, barrier-free environment must be a fundamental value of society today and in the future.
The short film "Reclaiming My Life" is available on our YouTube channel.
The article is produced by CO “CF “Future for Ukraine” with the support of the Askold and Dir Fund as a part of the “Strong Civil Society of Ukraine - a Driver towards Reforms and Democracy” project, implemented by ISAR Ednannia, funded by Norway and Sweden. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of CO “CF “Future for Ukraine” and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Government of Norway, the Government of Sweden and ISAR Ednannia.
