Ukrainians have been resolutely defending their country for more than a year. Some, like Yehor, return to fight even after serious injury. The soldier is at the front after losing part of his leg in the Donbass.

Zaporizhzhia

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

Returning to the frontline after losing a leg

Fighting in the trenches is tough and many bear the scars of war. An explosion took off part of Yeho Olenik's leg and yet he's now back with his old unit, getting ready to fight again. Feelings are running high on his return. There are strong emotions, you know. The adrenaline goes through the roof. What the soul wants, it gets. I used my anger so that I didn't turn it on my brothers. I went out and I shot back. Then things quieted down again and I relaxed. Yeho is a career soldier. He joined when he was 18, initially with the artillery, before later fighting on the front line. On September 29th we retook the position. These were all our trophies. Sights, night vision goggles, pistols, just from one captured position. There's some destroyed equipment there too. The emotions were running high. There were even automatic weapons. So many trophies, they left everything behind. But the most interesting thing is down there in the trench, a Russian liberator. The mission changed his life. One day Yeho and his team captured a Russian position. As he went to check on the area, he stepped on a mine. He was overcome with fear that he might be captured. I immediately gave myself first aid and then just laid down. But the fear set in and I was going to shoot myself. But then I thought about my parents and I thought it's just a leg. The knee is there, I can walk. Sometimes his stump hurts and swells up, which is frustrating for him. But Yeho says he doesn't see himself as an invalid. He's learning to accept his new situation. You see, I had a tattoo here. They cut off my leg just above it. I was wounded in this leg as well, by shrapnel. And three fragments hit the bone here in these places. But to get back to work as an infantry soldier, his legs needed to work too. Yeho says his doctors were not happy with his decision to go back to the front line. And his family and girlfriend were fiercely opposed. My parents, no, actually my relatives generally, no, wait a minute, absolutely everyone was against it. My girlfriend was too. But I said, I am going. I have a duty to my country, to defend it. Because Ukraine needs me. When I was on vacation, my former friends were just sitting at home, drinking, hanging out. Yeho has already been back to the front line. But fighting is more difficult than before. He has to move quickly through mud and climb over obstacles. But Yeho says his comrades help him and his commanders are glad to have him back. Everything is decided by the medical commission. If a fighter wants to return, we don't object. With Yeho, believe me, everyone is proud that he didn't lose heart, that he is doing well and asked for his position back. There are no complaints. I have known him since August. He is a wonderful fighter. There are no official numbers, but Yeho is not the only amputee who returned to the front. The last few months changed him, he says. More anger surfaced in me, a desire for revenge. And it is important to return. My personal opinion is that after you recover, you need to come back, to show them that you can do more, that you will survive it all, that you will succeed. After we left, Yeho accepted an invitation to Norway for further treatment. He is planning to return soon to take on the Russians, with a brand new prosthesis.

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State of Rio Grande do Sul

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Irvine

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Ukraine Invasion