WEBVTT - Made with VTT Creator 00:05.185 --> 00:16.159 position:50% align:middle If we’re talking strictly about lower limb amputations, I think it’s a maximum of five days in intensive care – maybe even three – and then they transfer you to 00:16.159 --> 00:31.428 position:50% align:middle the surgical ward to recover. I also had an intestinal injury and an infection. I fell into a coma three times. My doctor joked, saying to me: 00:31.428 --> 00:44.242 position:50% align:middle “Zhenia, you’ve shaken hands with the Apostle Peter three times. May I shake yours?” – and after that… My birthday happens to be on January 7. 00:44.242 --> 00:57.881 position:50% align:middle My aunt came to see me on the 6th, but they wouldn’t let her in because I’d fallen into a coma. And on the 7th, I came out of it. I came out of it just in time for my birthday. 00:57.881 --> 01:13.433 position:50% align:middle I was 27 at the time I was wounded. And by the time I was 28, I’d started, so to speak, a new life. My name is Yevhenii Shvab. I’m from Zhytomyr region, 01:13.433 --> 01:26.751 position:50% align:middle from the small town of Ovruch, which is located almost on the border with Belarus. I’m now 31 years old. How did I end up in the Armed Forces? 01:26.751 --> 01:38.062 position:50% align:middle When the full-scale invasion began, I didn’t volunteer straight away. There were a few things I needed to sort out. But then, when I read the news about what 01:38.062 --> 01:54.809 position:50% align:middle was happening in Bucha, Hostomel, and all those events, I started preparing myself to go and serve. My mum passed away in September, and that was the turning point. 01:54.809 --> 02:08.269 position:50% align:middle I went straight to the military recruitment office. I wanted to join the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade specifically, which is where I ended up. 02:08.269 --> 02:20.947 position:50% align:middle We arrived, as I recall, at some school, and we had to pass a physical fitness test to get into the Air Assault Forces. And I passed that test effortlessly. 02:20.947 --> 02:40.439 position:50% align:middle I mainly played football. We had a big group of friends when we were kids. And we were very active: horizontal bars, football. Physically, I was in perfect shape. 02:40.439 --> 02:57.997 position:50% align:middle Nothing stood in my way of serving. They sent us to Donetsk region, to Lyman. We were stationed there. And we went out on combat missions to Luhansk region, 02:57.997 --> 03:11.770 position:50% align:middle to the village of Chervonopopivka. That’s where I was later wounded. My military service, unfortunately, didn’t last long. In total, I served for four months. 03:11.770 --> 03:28.324 position:50% align:middle There were three of us in the dugout. And it so happened that I was left alone, whilst my two comrades took my place on duty. And I think the enemy must have spotted our movements. 03:28.324 --> 03:47.997 position:50% align:middle Heavy shelling began. An enemy tank drove out, and I heard two shells land right next to me. And when the third explosion rang out, I felt a very sharp pain in my leg. 03:47.997 --> 04:01.657 position:50% align:middle Although I wasn’t just wounded in the leg. Shrapnel had also struck my back. There were penetrating wounds; the shrapnel had exited through my abdomen. But the main pain was in my leg. 04:01.657 --> 04:18.396 position:50% align:middle And at that moment, I couldn’t even move. I was buried under dirt and branches. And the first thing I did was call for help, so that my lads would come and help me. 04:18.396 --> 04:31.058 position:50% align:middle And my comrade, who had been with me in the dugout, left his observation post and ran over to me. I’m grateful to Pasha “Courier” for his help, 04:31.058 --> 04:48.166 position:50% align:middle for saving my life, so to speak. Because I think I would simply have bled to death. And then, when my other comrades ran up, they dug me out, so to speak, 04:48.166 --> 05:04.005 position:50% align:middle turned me over and put me on a stretcher. But at that moment we couldn’t get out because the shelling hadn’t stopped. Then the commander told us to lie low for a bit. 05:04.005 --> 05:19.083 position:50% align:middle We waited, and then our artillery returned fire. And just at that moment the lads carried me to the evacuation point. And then… I don’t remember all those moments very well, 05:19.083 --> 05:37.806 position:50% align:middle just in fragments: it was as if there was light, and then – darkness again. I was flown by helicopter to Kyiv. I didn’t stay there long. They stabilised me and then sent me to Lviv. 05:37.806 --> 05:55.047 position:50% align:middle In Lviv, you could say, the rollercoaster began – both emotional and physical. I remember it was either just before New Year’s Eve, on the 31st [of December], 05:55.047 --> 06:09.207 position:50% align:middle or already on 1 January, somewhere in that timeframe. My doctor wanted to talk to me and prepare me for the fact that my lower limb would be amputated. 06:09.207 --> 06:19.645 position:50% align:middle Because the injury was very severe. There were seven fractures, and in the knee… You could see right through the knee; there was just a hole there. 06:19.645 --> 06:31.081 position:50% align:middle And I started bleeding heavily from my lower limb; the bleeding was pulsating. And she [the doctor] started applying a tourniquet to me. I remember there was a very sharp 06:31.081 --> 06:46.948 position:50% align:middle pain, and I blacked out. And when I came round, my leg was gone. It was an above-knee amputation, at thigh level. And I was often asked: how did you take it? 06:46.948 --> 06:57.764 position:50% align:middle Well, honestly, emotionlessly. I didn’t have that thought: “Oh, my leg is gone”... It’s gone, and that’s that. I didn’t even give it much thought. 06:57.764 --> 07:08.389 position:50% align:middle I was already imagining what it would be like to have a prosthetic leg. I didn’t try to console myself, so to speak, but kept myself entertained as best I could. 07:08.389 --> 07:23.316 position:50% align:middle Chatting with the doctors, the nurses, joking around… It was nice to feel that there was someone to talk to. Because I spent 40 days in intensive care. 07:23.316 --> 07:37.364 position:50% align:middle And there, apart from the sounds of the machines, you hear nothing. There might be a neighbour you could talk to, but he doesn’t speak because he’s unconscious. 07:37.364 --> 07:53.075 position:50% align:middle And when they took me off to surgery or somewhere else – that was a blessing, because I could see different walls in the corridor. It was during my rehabilitation 07:53.075 --> 08:11.642 position:50% align:middle and treatment that I felt like a newborn. I had to learn to walk all over again. I had to start perceiving society anew. In other words, there were new challenges. 08:11.642 --> 08:24.488 position:50% align:middle But the best thing about rehabilitation – the thing that really calmed me down mentally – was probably the fact that I had comrades by my side who’d suffered the same injury. 08:24.488 --> 08:39.004 position:50% align:middle Those jokes… I’d look at them and realise that life goes on. Even during physical rehabilitation, there was a bit of friendly rivalry between us. 08:39.004 --> 08:52.227 position:50% align:middle Someone could squat further on one leg than I could. And I wanted to do all this so I could get back on my feet as quickly as possible. After my injury, 08:52.227 --> 09:04.406 position:50% align:middle my muscles were very atrophied, following 40 days in intensive care. So I went through all the stages: from the bed to the wheelchair, then crutches and prosthetics. 09:04.406 --> 09:23.600 position:50% align:middle And once I’d got the prosthesis, I wanted to walk quite quickly and didn’t listen to the physiotherapists’ advice – not to rush things. On the very second day, 09:23.600 --> 09:38.046 position:50% align:middle I tried walking without anything, just taking a couple of steps. Then I threw one crutch aside, walked and fell, broke a rib – and was out of rehab for another month. 09:38.046 --> 09:53.804 position:50% align:middle And then I realised: these people know what they’re doing; they know what’s best. Why aren’t you listening to them? At that point, I wanted to get on my prosthesis 09:53.804 --> 10:06.725 position:50% align:middle as soon as possible and start a new life on two legs. And there was a moment during rehabilitation when there was a group session in the hall. 10:06.725 --> 10:21.198 position:50% align:middle A delegation came to see us, and they asked us: “Who likes football? – Me. – Who supports Shakhtar? – Me.” Because I’ve actually supported Shakhtar since I was a child. 10:21.198 --> 10:34.277 position:50% align:middle I still remember talking about this with Darijo Srna. He took me into the changing room and said: “Here’s a fan who’s been with us since he was a child. 10:34.277 --> 10:46.056 position:50% align:middle He used to watch me play when he was just a little boy, back when we were playing at the Donbas Arena.” And the next day I went to the match. 10:46.056 --> 10:56.367 position:50% align:middle . I thought it would just be a matter of watching the match. I didn’t expect to go out onto the field and take the first symbolic kick of the match. 10:56.367 --> 11:12.807 position:50% align:middle And it was such an emotional moment that I got goosebumps all over my body right then and there. So that was the first step in overcoming some of my fears. 11:12.807 --> 11:28.119 position:50% align:middle And for that, I’m truly grateful. Although there were no spectators there when I stepped onto the field, my favourite team was there, applauding me. 11:28.119 --> 11:47.158 position:50% align:middle And I took the first kick and went over to Darijo Srna. And we watched the match together, commenting on it. And it was so lovely! 11:47.158 --> 11:59.794 position:50% align:middle Because I’d seen him on TV and dreamed of getting his autograph somehow. And here I am sitting next to him, and we’re commenting on the game. 11:59.794 --> 12:09.645 position:50% align:middle And when I tell him, “Look, there’s a free zone”, and he tells me, “We can see that here, but for them over there it’s a bit more difficult...” And it was just... 12:09.645 --> 12:21.312 position:50% align:middle I mean, I just gave my opinion, and I got a response, a comment on it. Because he sees the situation; he’s been through the whole thing. 12:21.312 --> 12:33.195 position:50% align:middle And it was really nice. And about a year later, I was also at the Arena Lviv as a spectator and met Darijo. He remembered me. He shook my hand, 12:33.195 --> 12:49.924 position:50% align:middle we greeted each other, and that was even more pleasant… And when we’d watched that match… We won then, by the way. Shakhtar won 2-0. I went downstairs, 12:49.924 --> 13:06.289 position:50% align:middle Yaroslav Rakitskyi came up to me and gave me his T-shirt. And even when I was lying in my hospital bed, I was still feeling emotional… 13:06.289 --> 13:15.721 position:50% align:middle The day after the match, I was due to be fitted with a mechanical prosthesis. Then a representative from Shakhtar rang me and said: 13:15.721 --> 13:25.663 position:50% align:middle “We’re able to offer you a more functional prosthetic solution.” That’s probably the best experience I’ve had. And I recommend to guys who are learning to walk 13:25.663 --> 13:40.905 position:50% align:middle on prostheses not to switch straight to an electric, multifunctional knee, but to learn to walk on a mechanical one first. And then, when you switch, as in my case, 13:40.905 --> 13:55.085 position:50% align:middle to an electric knee, getting used to it takes literally just a few days. I then walked without crutches at all. I had the most complex lower limb amputation, 13:55.085 --> 14:09.240 position:50% align:middle with the hip joint removed. So, effectively, there’s nothing there. And even now, I move thanks to my back muscles and my core. I sort of propel myself forward. 14:09.240 --> 14:19.105 position:50% align:middle When I was on a mechanical knee, of course, I had to exert myself more. It’s much easier now, because the microprocessors do everything. 14:19.105 --> 14:31.229 position:50% align:middle Not everything, of course, but it acts as an aid. And it’s much easier to walk. I’d like to sincerely thank Rinat Akhmetov and his Foundation, 14:31.229 --> 14:46.422 position:50% align:middle the “Heart of Azovstal” project, because I know they’re helping. This is a very important project for our country. And, to be honest, I wish there were many more projects like this. 14:46.422 --> 15:06.313 position:50% align:middle If I just lie in bed and do nothing, I simply won’t be able to get into this prosthesis… So, of course, physical activity helps with everyday mobility too. 15:06.313 --> 15:20.477 position:50% align:middle It’s also about mental development. Activity has a huge impact on that. And I really do keep fit. My main sporting activities… I’ve tried a lot of things. 15:20.477 --> 15:35.476 position:50% align:middle There was a time when: whatever was offered to me, I’d always say yes. I agreed, and I don’t regret it. I’ve tried lots of things, like archery. 15:35.476 --> 15:48.605 position:50% align:middle I was at Berlin Fashion Week as a model. It was cool, I enjoyed it. It’s something to remember. I wasn’t wearing heels, but they did my make-up when I was at Berlin Fashion Week. 15:48.605 --> 16:02.010 position:50% align:middle I’m really proud of that. When I was walking down the catwalk and there was a stopping point, I held up a flag saying “Russia is a terrorist state”. 16:02.010 --> 16:13.039 position:50% align:middle And that was another reminder to the whole world of what russia is. A reminder that it really is a threat not only to us, but to everyone, and that the war is still going on. 16:13.039 --> 16:28.205 position:50% align:middle There was also a suggestion – we went to Croatia to go diving. That’s a really cool activity too. Especially if you’ve had a limb amputated, diving helps you not 16:28.205 --> 16:40.515 position:50% align:middle to feel phantom pain. Because of the density of the water… Saltwater sort of compresses you. And right at that moment when you’re at the bottom – 16:40.515 --> 16:54.330 position:50% align:middle it’s an amazing sensation. It’s as if that limb is still there. And that’s really cool too; I really enjoyed it. There was also collaboration with Croatian veterans, 16:54.330 --> 17:10.376 position:50% align:middle who organised that week – or rather, two weeks – of resocialisation for Ukrainian veterans. And that’s powerful. Phantom pains do exist. At first I thought: 17:10.376 --> 17:20.609 position:50% align:middle if I had a prosthesis and my brain realised I had a leg, then perhaps the pain would go away. But I was wrong. The phantom pains are still there; 17:20.609 --> 17:35.783 position:50% align:middle they’re just not as intense as they were at first. And now I just have to… I’ve learnt to live with them. If I’m constantly on the move, active, I don’t feel the phantom pain. 17:35.783 --> 17:51.670 position:50% align:middle Sometimes, you come home in the evening, lie down – and it starts... But over time I’ve got used to it and don’t pay it any mind. 17:51.670 --> 18:08.848 position:50% align:middle Our club, the Para Ice Hockey Club “Unbroken”, went to Slovakia. We were there for a few days. And when I saw how a player from the Slovak national team was playing, 18:08.848 --> 18:19.608 position:50% align:middle I just stood there, transfixed, staring at him. And the president of our club, Roman, came over and said: “Oh no, don’t think about that yet…” 18:19.608 --> 18:36.558 position:50% align:middle He’s been doing this for 10 years. And when we got on the sledges for the first time, tried them out – I liked it. There were six countries there. And on the third day, 18:36.558 --> 18:50.685 position:50% align:middle there was a friendly match. Of course, it was purely symbolic. But after returning to Ukraine, we became actively interested in this sport. 18:50.685 --> 19:08.910 position:50% align:middle We travelled with the president and the club manager to various rehabilitation centres and gathered people. And so far, three national para-hockey tournaments have been held, 19:08.910 --> 19:21.800 position:50% align:middle which we’ve won three times. There were international matches. We played in Jersey against the Finnish national team. There were two friendly matches, 19:21.800 --> 19:36.905 position:50% align:middle and we beat them both. We also played in the Czech Republic. We realise that the Czech Republic is probably the best country in Europe when it comes to ice 19:36.905 --> 19:49.010 position:50% align:middle hockey and para-ice hockey. And that’s a brilliant experience that we’ve taken on board. I think I’ve made up my mind about which sport I want to play. 19:49.010 --> 20:04.570 position:50% align:middle I’m the team captain. We play for fun. There are certain rules in para-hockey: you must have an amputation of a lower limb, any one. A double amputation – at the 20:04.570 --> 20:16.622 position:50% align:middle thigh or lower leg level, or a single amputation, or a musculoskeletal disorder. And, of course, both arms are involved, so they need to be healthy. 20:16.622 --> 20:31.435 position:50% align:middle Because all the strain is on the arms, shoulders and back. Although there is one such case in Vinnytsia. A guy has an upper limb injury, an amputation. 20:31.435 --> 20:51.960 position:50% align:middle He was fitted with a prosthesis, and he stands in goal. It’s entirely possible. There’s the captain of the Kyiv “Sokol” team; he has a double amputation at the thigh. 20:51.960 --> 21:05.291 position:50% align:middle We also have guys with double amputations at the lower leg. There are civilians in our team as well. So this is also one of the ways of 21:05.291 --> 21:15.669 position:50% align:middle bringing together military and civilian personnel. It’s a kind of unifying mechanism. When we arrived in the Czech Republic, I looked up at the stands – 21:15.669 --> 21:28.991 position:50% align:middle and they were all decked out in Ukrainian flags. Social media had been at work, of course. They’d been invited. And people came along to support us. 21:28.991 --> 21:37.686 position:50% align:middle And when we were in Karlovy Vary, there were loads of Ukrainians at the tournament. But the nicest moment was when we went to Ostrava, 21:37.686 --> 21:57.759 position:50% align:middle also for the games, and a woman travelled 500 kilometres with her children just to support us. Our main goal is to train and improve our fitness and mental strength. 21:57.759 --> 22:07.815 position:50% align:middle And for me, I suppose the most important thing is that I want to represent our country on the world stage. Of course, domestic championships are necessary, 22:07.815 --> 22:19.997 position:50% align:middle because competition provides valuable experience. But the main goal is to remind people what Ukraine is, what we are capable of, and what we can do. 22:19.997 --> 22:39.807 position:50% align:middle Of course, I have a dream. I’d like to open a barbershop. But not just any barbershop – I want to create a real men’s space where veterans and civilians 22:39.807 --> 22:55.033 position:50% align:middle can come together, so that society isn’t divided into veterans and civilians. For example, a man sits at home and says: “I think I’ll go and get a haircut.” 22:55.033 --> 23:07.057 position:50% align:middle He comes to my barbershop, and I’ve got a pool table there, and a bit of a “guy’s vibe” – a men’s space. And although he officially asked to go out just to get a haircut 23:07.057 --> 23:19.922 position:50% align:middle in reality he had a great time and came home looking good. That’s a joke, of course, but the aim is precisely for people to come to me not just when they need a haircut, 23:19.922 --> 23:40.921 position:50% align:middle but when they really want to relax. I’d also really like to create jobs for people with disabilities. At the moment, I’m also working with my physiotherapist, Ms Roksolana… 23:40.921 --> 23:56.470 position:50% align:middle We’re very good friends. She organised training sessions. We travelled together and explained to private business owners why it’s worth employing people with disabilities. 23:56.470 --> 24:10.684 position:50% align:middle We discussed communicating with people, with veterans. And this is a very important factor, because, unfortunately, there are more and more of these young men. 24:10.684 --> 24:23.282 position:50% align:middle And it is precisely at that moment, when rehabilitation has finished and the person needs something to do, that if a job is created for them and they start working, 24:23.282 --> 24:37.463 position:50% align:middle it will be much easier to settle into a new rhythm of life. But if, after rehabilitation, a person comes home and has nothing to do… That is actually very sad. 24:37.463 --> 24:51.236 position:50% align:middle We need to create precisely these opportunities: both adaptive sports and jobs – immediately after a person has completed their treatment. 24:51.236 --> 25:04.507 position:50% align:middle These moments of resocialisation, of adapting to civilian life, to society… And the most important thing for me was, I suppose, employment. 25:04.507 --> 25:19.683 position:50% align:middle I work at the Centre for National and Patriotic Education. I teach first aid and tactical medicine to young people. These are students in grades 10-11 who understand 25:19.683 --> 25:34.952 position:50% align:middle that we live in a time when everyone needs medical care. I never get bored. I have gone through this experience myself, and I am now passing it on to 25:34.952 --> 25:45.245 position:50% align:middle the younger generation. So, naturally, our sessions aren’t like a school lesson. We have an 80-minute session, and it doesn’t usually involve them [the students] 25:45.245 --> 25:56.988 position:50% align:middle sitting at their desks writing things down. We’re constantly doing some kind of activity. We have practical sessions. If someone has a tourniquet but 25:56.988 --> 26:12.320 position:50% align:middle doesn’t know how to use it, what’s the point of it at all? I’m pleased that the children are taking to it and learning very quickly. I always say: 26:12.320 --> 26:20.192 position:50% align:middle “If you have any suggestions for me – let me know, I’ll come up with something, and we’ll make it even more interesting for you.” 26:20.192 --> 26:37.512 position:50% align:middle We also go on training trips to the Carpathians for three days. There, we recreate more realistic scenarios and emergencies, incorporating various effects. 26:37.512 --> 26:58.685 position:50% align:middle And this is actually a really great step in educating children. And I would very much like our generation to study history and draw their own conclusions. 26:58.685 --> 27:15.995 position:50% align:middle Because, to be honest, we’ve been at war with this country for 400 years. And we would like to put an end to this, so that our younger generation can live happily 27:15.995 --> 27:31.945 position:50% align:middle and develop both our country and their personal qualities, so to speak. I have a son, and when he found out about my injury, his first reaction was probably fear, 27:31.945 --> 27:39.675 position:50% align:middle and then pride that he has a father like me. And I would also like my grandchildren to know my story.