After the injury, doctors immediately warned Andrii Pukhir: it is likely that he will never walk again. His brain injury was critical and his condition was serious.    

On April 24, 2025, Kyiv survived one of the combined attacks of the Russian Federation.  Andrii was in his apartment, sleeping, and did not hear the air raid alert. A fragment hit him in the head. When he regained consciousness, he could not move: his arms and legs would not listen.  The young man was hospitalised in serious condition. 

He was bedridden for a month. Doctors did not give any guarantees of recovery. After the surgeries, a long stage of rehabilitation began. At first, he had to be verticalised: learning to sit, stand up. Then – a walker. Later – crutches. The boy’s mother, Mariia, says that the first months of recovery were accompanied by falls and pain.  The condition is aggravated by spasticity, a consequence of brain damage, when the muscles are in constant tension. Because of this, Andrii cannot keep his balance and bend his legs.  

Recovery requires long-term therapy. During the treatment, the family spent all their savings. Colleagues and friends helped to raise part of the money for treatment. The main goal is to walk without crutches and restore mobility as much as possible.

Before his injury, Andrii led an active lifestyle, working and playing sports. He has two degrees in management and marketing. Due to his injury, he cannot return to physical work, so he plans to learn a new profession related to online work, particularly in IT or design.  Andrii Pukhir’s story is a testament to the consequences of missile attacks on civilians. After being seriously injured, he undergoes a long recovery. His experience captures not only the injury but also the recovery process that continues to this day.