Soldier Yurii Shtohrin, callsign NIMETS

My name is Yurii Shtohrin, and I am 28 years old. On April 10, 2025, I joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. That morning, I was on my way to work when representatives of the Sykhiv Territorial Recruitment Center, accompanied by a police officer, stopped me. I did not resist — I understood that sooner or later I would have to stand up to defend my homeland. I accepted it as my duty. I passed the medical examination and was sent for training.

The first two weeks were tough — we carried logs and dug trenches. But once the real training began, I got into it. My comrades gave me the callsign “Nimets” for my punctuality, stubbornness, and discipline.

After a few days, I was selected for training abroad in Latvia, where I completed a 45-day basic military training course (BZVP) and received a certificate. After returning, I was assigned to the 33rd Separate Assault Regiment, where I became a machine gun operator. Then came training at the Kyiv training ground, and later the front line.

On August 3, 2025, in the Zaporizhzhia direction, near Kamianka, we received a combat mission. There was no support and no experienced commanders — we were all “green,” but we had to move forward. During the assault, I eliminated one enemy with a grenade and rushed toward another, but didn’t have time to pull the trigger. Five 5.45mm bullets hit my body armor. It felt like my body had shut down — I lost consciousness. When I came to, I heard explosions from under-barrel grenades. One of the fragments hit the cervical section of my spine.

My comrades were also wounded, and I realized that waiting for help was useless. For about an hour and a half, I gathered my strength, and then I started crawling. A kilometer and a half — three hours of pain and blood, but I survived. When I reached our positions, I was given first aid, evacuated to the stabilization point, and later to Kyiv.

My diagnosis is a cervical spine injury, spinal cord lesion at the C5 level. People with such injuries are often called “neck patients.” After treatment in Kyiv, I was transferred to the Lviv Military Hospital. At first, my arms wouldn’t move at all. Now, thanks to the doctors and my determination, I am slowly learning to move them again, but the road to recovery is still long.

Specialists recommend that I undergo a rehabilitation course at the Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center of the NSIU. They have the necessary equipment and specialists who help restore motor functions after severe spinal injuries. For me, this is a chance to return to an independent life to work again, to live fully.

The cost of the course is beyond my means, so I am asking for help.

____________________________________________________
 

Yurii is currently undergoing his first rehabilitation course at the “Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center” of the National Committee for Sports of the Disabled of Ukraine (NKSIU).

The course is nearing completion, and the first results are already visible. His right arm has started to respond — movement has returned, strength is improving, and he can now use a computer mouse and keyboard. This is a big step forward. However, his left arm still requires a lot of work. Due to motor neuron damage, it remains weak, the fingers are spastic and clenched, and movement is limited. The entire upper limb needs constant exercises, stretching, and muscle activation to prevent the loss of the progress already achieved.

Specialists at the center have already recommended that Yurii continue with a second rehabilitation course immediately after finishing the current one. They explain that his recovery is moving in the right direction, but restoring the full function of both arms — fine motor skills and precise finger movements — will require consistent long-term therapy.

The goal of the second course is to help Yurii become as independent as possible: to regain the ability to type, work on a computer, and carry out daily tasks without assistance. This is not just about physical recovery — it’s about regaining independence, purpose, and confidence.

To complete the second course, an additional 90,000 UAH is needed — a sum Yurii cannot afford on his own.
We are expanding the fundraiser and asking everyone who cares to support him.

Every contribution is a piece of warmth that helps our defender stand up, move forward, and keep fighting for himself.

____________________________________________________

 

The fundraiser for Yurii Shtogryn has been successfully closed!

We thank every one of you who joined with your donation, repost, kind word, or simply your faith. Thanks to you, Yurii has already completed the first rehabilitation course at the Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center of NCSIU.

The results are noticeable: his coordination improved, as did his strength, endurance, arm functionality, and overall mobility.

Ahead the second course of recovery, and we believe it will bring Yurii one step closer to a full life.

We received a comment from the head physical therapist at the center:

“The rehabilitation goals and tasks were aimed at increasing Yurii’s independence and self-sufficiency in everyday life by improving the functionality of his upper limbs, increasing strength, endurance, and load tolerance and these goals have been achieved.

Based on the control test results, we see positive dynamics:

• The 10‑meter walking test increased from 1.46 m/s to 1.78 m/s,
• The “Timed Up and Go” test improved from 7.93 seconds to 6.8 seconds,
• The 6‑minute walking test increased from 467 m to 550 m,
• The Four‑Square Step Test improved from 10.8 seconds to 9.93 seconds.

Grip strength in the right hand grew from 14.7 kg to 17.5 kg, and the left — from 4 kg to 5.6 kg. Fine motor skills improved: the Box and Blocks test showed progress from 21 to 34 (right hand) and from 13 to 18 (left hand). Continuation of the individualized rehabilitation program focusing on physical therapy and occupational therapy has been recommended.”

We thank the team of specialists at the Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center of NCSIU for their professionalism and attentiveness and everyone who did not remain indifferent.

Yurii continues his recovery journey, and we are confident that with your support he can take many more steps toward his goal restoration.

Yurii’s rehabilitation course was funded under the “CYBORGS REHABILITATION 2.0” program, supported by the Canada‑Ukraine Foundation and the National Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC).

 

COLLECTED: UAH 180,000