Tyshchenko, foreground, and Fedun arrive at Medical Center Orthotics and Prosthetics in Silver Spring, Md. to receive replacement limbs. (Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post)
The advancements the United States made in prosthetic devices and treatment during its war in Afghanistan are benefiting some Ukranian soldiers who have become amputees during their country’s war with Russia.
The Washington Post published a report by Alex Horton on Dec. 18 detailing the predicament facing Ukrainians wounded by improvised explosives and roadside bombs.
“America’s most recent wars led to profound advances in prosthetics and new standards for treatment,” it said. “For most Ukrainian soldiers, the best is out of reach.”
The Ukrainian Army did not provide information regarding the number of amputees, but it’s clear the government lacks the money and expertise to treat them. Many have sought help in sympathetic countries in the West.
Charitable donations are making possible their treatment in the United States. The military has not used its own resources to aid.
Ivona Kostyna, chairwoman of nonprofit Veterans Hub, which provides aid to the Ukrainians, told the Post: “There are just not enough rehabilitation specialists able to proactively help the wounded recover and maintain the highest possible level of mobility. Simply speaking, once stabilized, soldiers might end up just laying in bed, instead of actively restoring the functioning in the body, and lose the precious time for their recovery.”