Thousands of veterans who lost limbs in Ukraine’s fight against Russian occupation are showing incredible resilience to return to the front line and society despite the severe trauma they have suffered. many soldiers do not see their injuries as a disability, like Serhiy, an army veteran who summarised the situation by saying, “I am not disabled, I have been promoted.” Serhiy says that although his leg was severed below the knee by a landmine, he can run and jump rope with ease.
“Just a Flesh Wound”: Incredible Physical Adaptation
The physical adaptation shown by veterans almost makes Monty Python’s “it’s only a flesh wound” a reality. artem, a former engineer who was severely wounded by an explosive dropped from a drone during the failed counter-attack in 2023, can walk on his arms, bench press with support and drive comfortably at the rehabilitation centre a year later. Serhiy, Artem and thousands of veterans like them have found ways to live their lives as productively as possible, and many of them are passionate about serving their country, even at the front.
World Leadership in Prosthetics and Mental Trauma
Eddy Scott, a British humanitarian volunteer who lost an arm and a leg in eastern Ukraine, says Ukraine has some of the best and most advanced prosthetics and care in the world. Recovering at the state-of-the-art Superhumans Centre in Lviv, Scott witnesses Ukrainian surgeons cure even the most hopeless cases.
But the scars of war are not only physical. In addition to the country’s nearly 25,000 veterans who have suffered the loss of limbs, thousands of prisoners of war who endured horrific conditions in Russian captivity also struggle with mental trauma. Oleksii, a soldier captured after the siege of Mariupol and held in captivity for two years, said that the worst part of his return was the survivor’s guilt. Knowing the suffering of his comrades in arms, who were subjected to Russian torture and deprivation, makes his return to civilian life difficult.
“It’s Their Turn”: Challenges of Integration into Society
Many veterans say that the difficulties in civilian life stem from the fact that they know few people who truly understand their struggles. Young people drinking coffee in cafés and partying in nightclubs can leave veterans feeling that the sacrifices they have made have gone unrewarded. The attitude of “It’s their turn” towards those who have not yet participated in the war summarises the alienation experienced by veterans.
Despite these difficulties, some veterans, such as Serhiy, have begun to seek out military units that accept amputees. In modern warfare, especially with the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the fact that a UAV operator sitting motionless in a trench can cause more damage than even the best special forces soldier shows how realistic this idea is.
