Soldier, call sign “ZMII”

My name is Andrii, I am 31 year old. I am an officer in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2014, I was mobilized into the armed forces and served 2 rotations in eastern Ukraine. In 2015 I signed a contract and at that time entered a military higher educational establishment. 

In 2019, I graduated and was sent for further service to one of the reconnaissance units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as a part of which I went to the Joint Forces Operation in the Donetsk area. 7 months later, I was transferred to a different unit. In 2020, I was again sent to the East, and again to the Donetsk direction.

On the first day of the full-scale military invasion, we arrived at the unit on an alert and immediately headed to the defense of Kyiv. 

After Kyiv Kharkiv region followed, and then - Donbas again. But this time it was Luhansk region. Together with the guys from our unit and other units, we held the defense of Severodonetsk for more than a month. 

At the end of June, hostile troops began to launch an offensive south of Lysychansk, using a significant amount of armoured vehicles. I was in a position with my soldiers to counter this offensive, but an enemy tank shell hit our location.

Unfortunately, one of my fellow soldiers was killed immediately, and I was seriously wounded: open fractures of my right leg and arm, contusion, broken ribs and shoulder blade. I am grateful to my fellow soldiers, they were able to administer first aid and evacuate me. I was taken to Bakhmut and then to Dnipro. Unfortunately, in Dnipro I had to have my arm amputated up to the shoulder joint. 

I was in a coma for three days, but thanks to my beloved wife, I regained consciousness, it was her who brought me back to life.

I spent six months in bed because the shrapnel knocked out a solid piece of bone, and I had a metal device installed on my leg. The doctors performed a complicated surgery and implanted two metal rods in my thigh. Now, so much time later, I can walk on my own two legs. 

Now I am dreaming of a functional prosthetic arm - myoprosthesis of the forearm, so I can return to a more or less full life, and most importantly, to serving in the Armed Forces to continue defending my homeland.

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There have been changes in the legislation regulating prosthetics funded by the state budget. Wounded defenders with high upper limb amputations can now receive high-functionality prostheses immediately during their initial prosthetic fitting. Additionally, the maximum state-funded prosthetic costs have been increased.

As a result, ZMIY’s prosthesis will be fully covered by the state, and there is no longer a need for charitable assistance.

All funds raised for Andriy’s bionic prosthesis will be redirected to cover the prosthetics and rehabilitation of other beneficiaries of our fund, including the purchase of liners for the prosthesis of defender Tetiana, callsign TANCHYK.