Recovery, Resilience, and Returning from War in Ukraine
Soldiers have found ways to live their lives as productively as possible, with many still wanting to serve their country, even returning to the front line.
In Lviv, Ukraine, a conversation with a Ukrainian army veteran, Serhiy, who identified himself by first name only for security reasons, left a lasting impression. He stated,
I'm not disabled, I'm upgraded.
Despite his injuries, Serhiy had been fortunate. A mine had blown off his leg below the knee, but he could still jog and perform exercises like jumping rope with his good leg. His experience was different from that of Artem, a former engineer met in Kyiv. During Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive, a drone-dropped explosive severely injured Artem, but over a year later, he was making progress in a rehabilitation center, walking on his arms, doing assisted exercises, and even driving a car.
Author's summary: Ukrainian soldiers show resilience despite injuries.