Soldier Hryhorii Mokanu

In 2020, I graduated from a maritime college in Odesa. My dream had always been the sea — calm, strong, alive. I saw my future there, among the waves, under the Ukrainian flag.

That same year, I signed a contract and began my service on the Island-class patrol boat Sloviansk, where I served as the senior helmsman-signalman in the combat operations team. We took part in international exercises and in the naval parade in Odesa in 2021. I was proud to represent my country before the world.

Then came March 3, 2022. The full-scale invasion was already underway. Our boat was carrying out a combat mission in the Black Sea when it was hit by a Russian anti-ship missile.

I was at the epicenter of the explosion.

I remember only the blast, darkness, and the water filling my lungs. When I came to, the boat was already sinking. I called for help — my comrades helped me get off the ship and reach the inflatable life rafts. Because of the storm, the rafts were drifting away from us. The sea rose, the waves grew high — as if nature itself was enraged, for just minutes earlier the weather had been calm and sunny.

No one yet realized I was injured. We waited several hours before rescue teams could evacuate us and bring us to Odesa. Eleven of our men went missing that day…

From the explosion, I sustained severe injuries:

  • I lost my left eye,
  • suffered an open craniocerebral trauma,
  • fractures of both feet,
  • and severe hypothermia.

Then began a long road of recovery — first in Odesa, then in Vinnytsia. Nine months in hospitals, dozens of surgeries, constant pain. But I didn’t give up. Four months later, I stood up from the wheelchair for the first time and began learning to walk again. Later, I received an eye prosthesis and had a titanium plate placed in my skull.

In 2022, I was awarded the Order “For Courage” (3rd Class) by the President of Ukraine, as well as the Ministry of Defense medal “For Wounds (Severe).” But my greatest reward is the chance to live — to breathe, to walk, and to dream.

From 2022 to 2025, I underwent numerous surgeries because, after the injury, serious kidney problems developed. The doctors have done everything possible, but my condition remains complicated. Today, my only chance to improve is the implantation of an Israeli ureteral stent — a solution that has proven effective where other methods have failed.

This stent is more than a medical device to me — it’s hope. Hope to live without constant surgeries, without hospital walls, without daily pain. But I can’t afford it on my own, so I must ask for help.

Despite everything, I haven’t stopped. Today, I am studying at an agricultural university, majoring in Geodesy and Land Management. This is a new chapter of my life. I want to grow, to work, to contribute to my country — not only as a soldier but as a person helping restore Ukraine’s land.

My dream is to start my own business — a farm — to grow crops, expand production, and provide jobs for other veterans returning from the front. I also dream of building a home — a place of warmth and peace, surrounded by family, friends, and a peaceful sky. I want to travel and see Ukraine — the one we fight for every day.

And one more dream — to climb Hoverla. For me, it would symbolize that I made it: I survived, endured, and rose — despite everything.

I believe that even after the hell of war, one can live again — to work, to dream, and to love life.
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The fundraising campaign for severely wounded defender Hryhorii Mokanu is officially closed.

The Israeli stent has already been paid for, and soon Hryhorii will undergo surgery followed by rehabilitation.

We thank everyone who joined this effort. Some contributed financially, others shared the story, and some simply offered warm words of support. All of this came together as one important step toward the recovery of a man who has been through the hell of war and continues to fight on.

We believe that ahead of Hryhorii lies greater strength, more light, and a full life. Thank you for making this possible.

 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 82,297