Soldier Mykhailo, call sign TYMOKHA

My name is Mykhailo, call sign TYMOKHA. I went to war from the first day of the full-scale invasion. On the 24th February 2022, I joined the army in Okhtyrka and served in a security company. Then in May I was sent to Donbas, as a member of the 54th Brigade.

On the 9th of September, 2022, we went on an assault and successfully knocked out the enemy from the area of the village of Spirne, Donetsk region. The next day, a heavy artillery shelling of the held positions began, as a result of which I sustained severe injuries to my arm (which was almost torn off to the elbow). I lost consciousness for a few seconds and did not understand what had happened. Later I opened my eyes and realised I was still alive! I saw that my arm was not working and was bleeding. I started shouting for help.

One of my fellow soldiers (call sign Poliak) ran up, put a tourniquet on my arm and bandaged it. He sat by my side for about ten minutes, held my hand and talked to me, asking about my family. He supported me in every possible way so that I wouldn't lose consciousness again.

When I felt a little bit better, he moved me to the nearest trench. The battle was still going on! We could not be evacuated for a long time. We were evacuated only after seven hours because the road was blocked by the enemy. It took another two hours to get to the hospital in Kramatorsk.

All this time (9 hours), my arm was in the tourniquet, so it was not possible to save it.
 

When I came to senses after the operation, I saw that my arm had been completely amputated. Initially, I got very upset and did not want to talk to anyone for two days. My family members were sending me messages and wanted to hear back from me as they were very much worried about whether I was alive. (They knew that on the 9th September we went for an offensive). 

Eventually, I got over my emotions and realised that I had to move on with my life. I called my wife first and told her what had happened. She was very supportive and said thank God that I was alive. I also have a daughter (9 years old) with a disability. 

It means that I have someone to live for! 

Now I need an electronically controlled prosthesis in my shoulder joint after amputation, for which the state funds are not insuffiecient, so I decided to turn to philanthropists. I will be grateful to everyone for help.

I live and dream, like all Ukrainians, of Victory. I want to buy my own house and live peacefully under a peaceful sky and raise my children.

Changes have been made to the legislation regulating prosthetics funded by the state budget. Wounded soldiers with high amputations of the upper limbs can now receive high-functional prostheses immediately upon initial prosthetics. Additionally, the maximum prices for state-funded prosthetics have been increased.

Therefore, the prosthesis for Mykhailo will be fully paid for by the state, and there is currently no need for charitable assistance.