Themes by tag: casualties

Oleksandr Budko enlisted in the military at the outset of the full-blown war. After enduring the loss of both his legs during a combat mission, the soldier, Oleksandr, persevered and didn’t let the injury stop him from embracing civilian life. He mastered prosthetics, penned an autobiography, took up stand-up comedy, and recently became a central figure in a documentary highlighting the resilience of dancers who fled Ukraine post-Russian invasion to establish the United Ukrainian Ballet. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker is set to produce the film. Now, on February 13, Oleksandr Budko presented the inaugural episode of “Leg Flew or All Inclusive,” an inclusive travel show he spearheaded. In this series, he traverses Ukraine alongside companions from the media realm, exploring cities for accessibility. Show participants, including the host and guests, maneuver wheelchairs as they visit renowned tourist spots, landmarks, and museums. Even as an entertaining show, yet it also sheds light on the challenges regarding the accessibility of public places.

• casualties
• military

Ukrainian photographer Marta Syrko initiated the Sculpture series photo project. The protagonists of her photographs are Ukrainian defenders who have endured the consequences of Russia’s full-blown invasion of Ukraine. (These are soldiers who were injured, got burned, or had their limbs amputated.) The project also welcomes civilians impacted by the war to participate.

Photographer Marta Syrko recently shared Serhii’s story, highlighting it in her photos. Serhii sustained his initial injury during the ATO in 2015. Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, he volunteered for service in high-risk areas. In June 2023 Serhii was involved in an accident while traveling from Kyiv to Kharkiv. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, as Serhii was found near the Myrhorod station, having been struck by a train, he had suffered grievous injuries, losing both arms and part of his foot. Serhii has no recollection of the events, having lost consciousness during the journey.

Journalists had the opportunity to speak with both photographer Marta Syrko and Serhii, along with his wife.

For reference: as February 24, 2024, marks the grim two-year anniversary of Russia’s criminal incursion into Ukraine. It stands as the apex of a decade-long war of aggression, which actually dates back to February 20, 2014, beginning with the annexation of Crimea. Russian forces invaded Ukrainian Crimea without any identifying markings and, after that, seized control of the peninsula back then. Subsequently, these events escalated into war in eastern Ukraine.

• casualties
• military
• Lviv

Oleksandr Darmoros’ life took a drastic turn in March 2016. Serving as an intelligence officer in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone, during a combat mission, Darmoros hit an anti-personnel mine, leaving his entire body severely injured. Evacuated by his fellow soldiers in time, however, the blast took his eyesight and leg. Darmoros underwent numerous surgeries and years of rehabilitation, both in Ukraine and abroad. Despite the challenges, he persevered, learning to navigate life with prosthetics and take care of himself while living in darkness. In the US, Darmoros received running prosthetics and even participated in the Marine Corps Marathon. Alongside his physical recovery, he embarked on a new career path as a military psychologist. Now based in the Khmelnytskyi region, he provides crucial support to soldiers in need. Looking ahead, Darmoros aims to relaunch his YouTube channel, intending to share his experience and insights with a broader audience.

For reference: as February 24, 2024, marks the grim two-year anniversary of Russia’s criminal incursion into Ukraine. It stands as the apex of a decade-long war of aggression, which actually dates back to February 20, 2014, beginning with the annexation of Crimea. Russian forces invaded Ukrainian Crimea without any identifying markings and, after that, seized control of the peninsula back then. Subsequently, these events escalated into war in eastern Ukraine.

• casualties
• military
• psychological support
• Khmelnytskyi

On February 12, the Ukrainian Military League will hold a press conference featuring the UML representatives talking about scaling up the project of psychological and sports rehabilitation of the service members for 2024.

In particular, it is planned to initiate the start of 100 mental health, physical therapy, and sports rehabilitation services centers for the Armed Forces servicemen throughout the country. It is also expected to leverage sporting events, competitions, and championships to enhance military personnel seeking psychological support participation. In particular, these include military veterans, soldiers wounded in action, and those whose transition to civilian life is underway. 

For reference: According to the UML, 1.8 million active duty members and veterans will be looking for mental health assistance after the war ends.

• casualties
• military
• psychological support

Since February 24, 2022, the White Angels police team has managed to rescue and bring more than 9,000 people from the frontline areas to safety. Law enforcement crews go to the most remote corners that are out of reach for volunteer missions, evacuating those who are ready to leave for a safe zone, and delivering humanitarian aid to those who won’t flee the areas. White Angels employs 81 policemen, particularly in the Kherson, Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Luhansk regions. The officers are truly selfless when it comes to saving people despite risking their own lives. Getting out civilians from Avdiivka in Donetsk region, a site of fierce fighting, is among the most recent operations of the White Angels. 

For reference: the White Angels crew in the Donetsk region is willing to give both online and offline interviews, by prior arrangement with the press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Donetsk Oblast.

• casualties
• evacuation

On February 10, Lviv will host a charity sports event for lower limb amputees. The event aiming to test patients’ running specific prostheses feet is organized by the Superhumans Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Center. The prosthetic feet functional testing will be run as a comparative evaluation involving not only patients but also specialists from various rehabilitation centers and media representatives. The competitors will play soccer, basketball, and volleyball together having their running prostheses on. 

In addition, Superhumans will attract several prosthetists (physical therapists) from other rehabilitation centers to engage in teaching patients using prosthetics how to fit and operate running prostheses.

• casualties
• doctors
• Lviv

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, 56-year-old Volodymyr Hudim worked as a paramilitary guard at the railroad. When the AFU retook his hometown of Kherson from occupying the Russian force in November 2022, Volodymyr and his comrades mobilized and joined the Defense Forces. In the summer of 2023, the soldier was defending positions near Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, where he suffered his first injury as shrapnel hit his shoulder. The man underwent treatment and soon returned to duty.

In late October 2023, Volodymyr and his fellow soldiers took up combat positions a few kilometers from Klishchiivka near Bakhmut. They were to be replaced in a few days. However, the Russians launched an onslaught, and Volodymyr’s position turned out to be behind enemy lines. One of his comrades had been killed in action the day before, and the rest went in search of water and never returned. And Hudim was left alone without any communication with his comrades because at that time all the radios had already died. The man was hiding in enemy trenches, looking for supplies, collecting rainwater, and melting snow. The fighter also eliminated several Russians he encountered in their own rear.

Volodymyr kept a diary where he wrote down what was happening to him. During 46 days behind enemy lines, he lost a finger due to a wound, and later, in a hospital, his left foot was amputated due to frostbite. Volodymyr was found by Ukrainian soldiers who noticed a trident on his helmet. The man is currently in hospital undergoing rehabilitation.

Additionally: Volodymyr Hudim is ready to have both online and offline interviews, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• military

29-year-old Yevhen Koptiaiev volunteered for mobilization in the Defense Forces since the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The soldier fought in the Donetsk sector, where he got seriously injured during an assault. Yevhen was shot through his helmet by an enemy bullet causing an entry wound in his ear and exit in his eye. The bullet also hit the front bones shattering his skull and tearing out his under-eye muscles. With those injuries, Yevhen crawled more than two kilometers to reach Ukrainian counterparts’ positions. The military veteran says he realized how badly he was injured being already halfway to his comrades: trying to touch his nose, his three fingers passed right through the mutilated bones of his skull and jaw.

Yevhen was first treated in Vinnytsia, having reconstructive surgery to his skull: five titanium implants were used for his face reconstruction. After the treatment, Yevhen had to get another one, because one of the plates didn’t adapt to the body defect ultimately leading to the body rejecting the implant and provoking inflammation. So a team of foreign doctors from Face the future Ukraine took over Yevhen’s treatment. The surgeons removed the failed implant, restored the lacrimal glands, and transplanted the man’s skin under the eye. Three months have passed since Yevhen’s last surgery. The wounds on his face have almost healed. Now the veteran has returned to Kryvyi Rih, where his wife and two children live.

For reference: “Face the future Ukraine” is a mission of reconstructive surgeons from Canada and the US, a joint effort of world experts and their Ukrainian colleagues, to restore physical health and aesthetic beauty to those who were disfigured by enemy fire. They also work with soldiers who have suffered injuries to their face and neck at the front line.

• casualties
• doctors
• military

Before the full-scale invasion, Anastasiia Ovcharenko worked with her husband in the IT industry in Kharkiv. The couple were raising a daughter.

When the big war started the family found themselves in their hometown. On the night of February 24, Anastasiia heard the explosions of russian rockets. The woman has been volunteering since March. Together with her husband, Anastasiia has set up fundraisers for the army and taken care of military vehicles.

On January 23, 2024, an enemy missile hit Anastasiia’s apartment. That morning, the couple had to go to Kyiv to take a military car to a workshop. The first explosions happened at 4 AM, so they asked their daughter to also go out to the car with them. Anastasiia and her family were around the corner from their house when a russian missile hit the building. Even after they lost their home, the Ovcharenkos did not abandon the military vehicle, but brought it to Kyiv as planned. And in a few days, they delivered the vehicle to the military in the East.

Anastasiia says that even despite the loss of a roof over their heads, the family will continue to volunteer and work for the Armed Forces, because only the Defense Forces will be able to stop the occupiers.

For reference: February 24, 2024 marks 2 years since the beginning of russia’s illegal full-scale invasion. The attack marked the culmination of the war of aggression, which the russian federation had been waging against Ukraine for 10 years at that point. This war began on February 20, 2014 when the russians invaded the territory of the Ukrainian Crimea without identification marks and occupied the peninsula. After that, russia started a war in the East of Ukraine.

• casualties
• russian crimes
• volunteers
• women
• Kharkiv

On January 30, the press conference “Dialogue in Russian: “Black Register of Executions, Tortures and Cases of Inhumane Treatment of the Civilian Population” will be held at Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform. Freerights Human Rights Association, a part of the Ukraine 5 AM Coalition, will present the “Black Register of Executions, Tortures and Cases of Inhumane Treatment of the Civilian Population in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine,” and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) will showcase the Roadmap for Investigating Torture and Enforced Disappearances, in order to incorporate recorded cases to criminal investigation and ensure further inevitability of punishment of those responsible for war crimes.

Participants:

• Anastasiia Malynka, Freerights Human Rights Association information manager (in person);
• Maryia Kvitsinskaya, Expert on Europe and Central Asia at the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) (online);
• A representative of the Division for Interaction with State, Non-Governmental, and International Organizations of the Office of the Prosecutor General’s Department for Combating Crimes Committed During Armed Conflict (speaker to be announced).

The event will be held within the framework of the cooperation between Ukraine 5 AM Coalition with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

For reference: Ukraine 5 AM Coalition started working on February 25, 2022, the day after russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today, there are 38 NGOs and four individual experts in the Coalition. They combined their efforts to systematically document war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the russian armed aggression against Ukraine. The Coalition also protects victims of the russo-Ukrainian war through state and international mechanisms of justice.

• casualties
• dead
• russian crimes
• Kyiv