Soldier Viktor Yaroslavtsev, call sign MAJOR

I am an active‑duty service member, a major in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the commander of a company in the 23rd Separate Brigade. I come from a military family, originally from Dniprodzerzhynsk now Kamianske, in Dnipropetrovsk region. I served after mobilization and then under contract from 2015 to 2018, and since 2022 I’m back in the ranks. Before the full‑scale war, I had a civilian profession as a construction site manager. I built — now I defend.

On March 25, I went to the military enlistment office as a volunteer. Hundreds of people were standing outside who weren’t accepted. I was anxious what if they didn’t take me either? But fear did not stop me. I was accepted immediately — my combat experience mattered. We began with the defense of Kyiv and the region, and later the unit was sent to Donetsk region.

In August 2022 near Mariinka, during an assault on adjacent positions held by the occupiers, a tank shot rang out. That was when I sustained a severe leg injury. What followed were hospitals, operating rooms, waiting, and hope. Seventeen surgeries almost every four months. The doctors fought to save my leg, sometimes not knowing what to do next, but they never gave up. Treatment took place in Ukraine, Latvia, and the Czech Republic, with consultations in Turkey. But it was Ukrainian doctors who saved my leg. Endoprosthetics was not attempted: the area of damage was too large and the risk of implant rejection was high. They placed plates and rods. Currently, I have a plate.

I live with this every day. Walking is difficult. I can sit behind the wheel and be independent in daily life, but I don’t have a normal gait. There are significant limitations in range of motion and impaired weight bearing of the lower limb. The doctors do not allow me to put full pressure on the leg. However, without measured, controlled load, recovery is impossible. That is exactly why rehabilitation under the supervision of specialists is critically necessary.

The rehabilitation therapist’s comment is simple and honest: there is still a great deal of work to be done. It is necessary to solidify what has been achieved, build strength in the lower limbs, and restore active range of motion — step by step, under control, without risks. We did this during the first month. Now it needs to be continued and improved.

My goal is to stand confidently on my feet, move without crutches, and return to service. My unit is waiting for me. I am not abandoning my path, and I am not looking for excuses. I am asking for support.

For this, I need specialized rehabilitation at the Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center of the NCSIU — a place where wounded service members are made capable of living and serving again. It is a long and expensive path. But it is possible.

The war is not somewhere far away. It is beside me. It is in my leg, in my steps, in every movement I recover each day.

____________________________________

The fundraiser for a 30-day rehabilitation course for Viktor Yaroslavtsev has been successfully closed. The need has been fully covered.

This is not just another stage of treatment. It is recovery and a path toward a full life, step by step, despite pain, limitations, and a long road ahead.

We sincerely thank our partners from Canada, as well as everyone who supported this fundraiser with donations or sharing. It is thanks to you that Viktor has the opportunity to continue fighting for his recovery.

Comment from the Chief Physical Therapist of the “Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center” of NCSIU.

The rehabilitation goals were aimed at increasing mobility, range of motion of the left leg, improving strength, endurance, and reducing back pain. They were partially achieved due to the complexity of the injury and load limitations. However, there is progress:

• Wingate test: was 398 → became 423 W
• Maximum power: was 465 → became 511 W
• Four Square Step Test: was 9.5 → became 7.4 sec
• “Timed Up and Go”: was 9.1 → became 7.8 sec
• 10 m walk: was 6.7 → became 5.3 sec
• 6-minute walk: was 457 → became 475 m
• Muscle strength (left leg): was 2.2 → became 16 kg

These indicators are very important victories, behind which stands daily hard work. There is still a road ahead. But now he is definitely not alone. Thank you for being there. Together, we believe in Viktor’s full recovery.

The rehabilitation course for Vadym was paid for within the framework of the “CYBORGS REHABILITATION 2.0” program with the support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC).

 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 90,000