Dmytro, a veteran from Ivano-Frankivsk region, on his rehabilitation journey

This is the story of Dmytro, a veteran from the Ivano-Frankivsk region. While defending Ukraine, he sustained a serious injury during combat in the Bakhmut area and lost a lower limb.

After being fitted with a prosthesis, Dmytro found it difficult to adapt to it, so his family sought support from the Ukrainian Red Cross mobile rehabilitation unit in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. His recovery journey began with a single step, and the support of rehabilitation specialists helped him return to everyday activities.

Before the war, Dmytro spent 27 years working as a teacher. However, after the full-scale invasion, his life changed dramatically. In 2023, he joined the defence of Ukraine, serving with the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade “Edelweiss”.

In March 2024, Dmytro sustained a blast injury in the Bakhmut area. For almost a year, doctors tried to save his right lower limb, but unfortunately, amputation was eventually necessary. In July 2025, Dmytro was fitted with a prosthesis at a rehabilitation centre in the Rivne region.

As Dmytro lived in a remote community in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, he was unable to access regular rehabilitation and the support he needed from specialists. This made it significantly more difficult for him to adapt to his prosthesis and return to everyday life.

Dmytro’s family reached out to the Ukrainian Red Cross mobile rehabilitation unit for support. The specialists assessed his condition and began intensive rehabilitation sessions to help him adapt to the prosthesis, which he had previously rarely used in his daily activities.

“The most important thing for me was being able to help my father around the house and walk independently in mountainous terrain,” the veteran recalls.

Today, Dmytro has completed his rehabilitation journey and confidently uses his prosthesis. Behind every new step are daily effort, regular exercises, and gradual but steady progress. And there is also a dream — to spend more time with his daughter and grandchildren.

Dmytro’s story is a reminder that recovery takes time, patience, and support. Every step, even the smallest one, brings us closer to the goal.