KYIV, Ukraine – They put everything on the line for their country and refused to give up on life. Now, thanks to faith and a remarkable Christian prosthetics foundation, Ukrainian soldiers who lost limbs in battle are walking, working, and returning to serve their nation.
For 23-year-old Ukrainian soldier Vladyslav Chub, the journey back to life began with love.
“The first thing I thought about was Diana because if something happens to me, I didn’t know how she would live through it,” Chub told CBN News.
It was March 9, 2024. Roughly nine in the evening. Vlad and a fellow soldier were serving in Bakhmut, Eastern Ukraine, when suddenly, the Russians launched an 82-millimeter mortar at their position.
“It exploded in front of me. I fell back. There was a sharp pain below my waist. I looked down and understood the extent of my injuries,” Vlad described.
The blast ripped away both of his legs.
“It’s a miracle he’s alive,” said Diana, his wife. “When the mortar exploded, the shrapnel scattered all over the ground and only hit his legs and didn’t hit his torso, or his head.”
His future looked uncertain, but Diana never wavered. She visited him in the hospital each day, fed him, cared for him, prayed over him.
“He’s the love of my life and I cannot imagine my life without him,” Diana expressed. “If I had to choose between two evils, it’s better him being alive and losing both limbs, than him dead and I’m left without him.”
By May, they were married.
After months of grueling rehab, Vlad took his first steps on prosthetic legs.
“It was not my time to die,” said Vlad. “I still have a mission that I need to fulfill in this world.”
All made possible by Protez Foundation, a Ukrainian Christian-led organization co-founded by Yura Aroshidze.
“Dr. Yakov, my co-founder, and I are believers who share Christian values,” Aroshidze told CBN News. “When the war began, we sought ways to help, and we felt God place it on our hearts to serve by providing prostheses.”
Since 2022, the foundation has helped more than 1,000 Ukrainian service members regain mobility.
Inside the Protez Foundation’s facility, medical director Illia Ivanets guides us through the complex stages of crafting a prosthesis, from molding to fitting to the training every patient must undergo.
“The main objective of our center is to help patients transition from lying in bed or using a wheelchair to using a prosthesis as quickly as possible, so they can regain independence and feel a renewed sense of dignity,” Ivanets said.
Each story, while devastating, is also inspiring. Such is the case of 27-year-old Ukrainian soldier Rudiakov Stanislav.
“I started to set up the electric detonator and engaged the munitions,” said Stanislav.
On November 5, 2024, in Ukraine’s Sumy region near the Russian border, while preparing to launch a drone he came under fire.
“The blast wave triggered the FPV drone, and it exploded,” said Stanislav.
The explosion took both of his eyes, and his hand.
“It was psychologically difficult, and then I realized that I needed to move on and keep going, because life doesn’t end,” Stanislav said.
At Protez, Stanislav is learning to rebuild his world, literally by touch. A mechanical arm is being fitted for him, and specialists are training him to navigate life without sight.
The foundation’s mission extends beyond service members. In Ukraine’s Kherson region, 15-year-old Viktoria Zadniprana lost her arm when a missile struck her home.
Now, thanks to Protez, she’s learning to lift objects with her new robotic arm, a small movement that means the world to her and her family.
Nonprofit groups like Protez estimate that close to about 50,000 Ukrainians have lost limbs since Russia’s invasion of this country back in 2022. What they are doing here is essential, giving these survivors a chance at a new life.
“These are push-ups that strengthen his muscles so he can support himself when standing up,” describes Bondar Rostyslav, with Protez Foundation. “It’s easier for him because he used to play sports and train regularly, so physical exercises come more naturally to him.”
Occupational therapist Rostyslav is preparing Denys Ivashchenko for his trip to the United States, where he’ll receive custom-made prosthetics due to the severity of his injuries.
Ivashchenko survived a direct Russian mortar strike in August, while serving in the Sumy region. The shell landed in his trench. The soldier beside him died instantly.
Like all recipients, Ivashchenko’s travel and prosthetics are fully covered by the foundation. Once he returns, he says God is calling him to serve others who’ve been wounded in battle.
“God wants me to minister to people who have gone through similar difficult situations in their lives and to be someone who can support them,” Ivashchenko told CBN News.
And today, Vlad is not just walking again, he’s back in the fight, conducting covert missions deep inside Russian-occupied territory.
“The war hasn’t ended yet, so we need to keep fighting and that’s the highest motivation to continue living and to do everything possible to bring peace back to Ukraine,” said Vlad.
For Diana, the relief and gratitude are immeasurable, thankful that, despite everything, her beloved survived.
“At first, I was asking why he lost his legs, but later I realized it’s a blessing that it’s only his legs,” Diana recounted. “Legs are just a means of getting around. Thankfully, he still has his arms, he can feel, his eyesight is intact, and he will eventually be able to see our children and hear their voices. I’m truly thankful to God for that.”
Learn more about the Protez Foundation.
