Russian Invasion Creating An Army Of Amputees In Ukraine

How long can Ukraine continue to fight? As its counter-offensive grinds on – with no decisive breakthrough – the number of amputees in the country continue to rise.

According to the Department of Health in Kyiv, there were 15,000 amputees in the first half of this year alone. But it remains unclear how many of the casualties are soldiers.

The number is much higher than the harm the UK sustained during World War II, when 12,000 of its servicemen and women lost limbs in six years.

As one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, Ukraine could see many more amputees in the near future. Let’s note how challenging it was for Alina and Andrii.

“In situations like this, when a person needs support, I would touch their hand,” said Alina Smolenska. But when she reached her husband Andrii in hospital, that was impossible.

The 27-year-old lost his sight, most of his hearing and both of his arms. Sharpnel was embedded deep under his skin. His face had to be rebuilt.

Ukraine’s Medical System “Not Ready” For The Losses

Andrii is tall and lean, with ready humour and a slightly rasping voice. He was an unlikely soldier – a financial consultant and a self-confessed nerd. But he voluntered soon after the invasion.

Alina was smitten from the beginning. They met on a summer evening in 2018 and married a year later. Their immense love and respect for each other has grown stronger owing to adversity.

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They want to show life goes on after injuries. While doctors expected Andrii to be in a coma for three days, he was conscious in one. Alina says he’s “stubborn, in a good meaning of that word.”

Andrii has been surprising doctors with his progress. He now trains two hours a day in the gym, working on his balance and rebuilding his strength.

“Our medical system is not ready in some ways. Some veterans come in with really complex cases,” he noted as Ukraine’s legion of amputees grow.

How long can the country sustain these losses? How well can the increasing number of amputees fit back into civilian life? These are hard questions with no decisive answers.