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He rides a motorbike with two prostheses: the story of a soldier who lost a leg and an arm in the war

Friday, 21 July 2023, 19:57

Roman Vasyliuk, a 26-year-old soldier who lost a leg and an arm after being wounded at the front, is undergoing rehabilitation in Lviv.

He is now learning to live with prostheses and says that he is doing well, the First Medical Union of Lviv reports.

Roman is from Zhytomyr Oblast. In the first few days of the full-scale invasion, he decided to join the army to protect not only his country, but also his own family – his son had just been born.

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In the army, Roman became a driver and grenade launcher. 

 
Roman Vasyliuk. All photos: First Medical Union of Lviv

The medical union reports that Roman drove around the hottest points of the front: Troitske, Popasna, Lysychansk, Bakhmut.

In the autumn, Roman was injured. 

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"The defender lost his leg and arm last autumn when he was hit by an enemy shell. Everyone in the vicinity was injured, but Roman was the hardest-hit," the hospital said.

Roman himself remembers the moment he was injured in vivid detail.

"I remember that there was nothing to save. My leg was gone, it was lying on the side with the boot still on it. My arm was just hanging by the skin," the soldier recalls.

 
Roman was fitted with one of the best and most expensive prostheses – a bionic one

First, Roman was evacuated to Druzhkivka, Donetsk Oblast, where doctors amputated his left arm and leg. That was followed by intensive care in Dnipro and long-term treatment in Kyiv. 

The soldier then came to Lviv to have the prosthetics fitted. 

"Specialists fitted him with one of the best bionic prostheses in the world from a leading German company. On his second day with the bionic prosthesis, Roman was able to tie his shoelaces on his own," the medical union said.

Now Roman is trying to return to his normal life - including riding a motorbike again.

 
Roman assures us that there are "no obstacles" caused by his metal arm and leg

"Not so fast and not so functional, but I don't see any, shall we say, obstacles. I can play with my child, help my wife. I can do household chores in the kitchen, at home or near the house, I can drive a car or a motorbike," says Roman.

The soldier's 18-month-old son Ihor is already used to his dad's bionic hand. At first he was afraid of it because of the unusual sound it makes, but now he loves it when his father gives him a high five.

Read also: "I look down and see no legs": soldier who lost both legs undergoing rehabilitation in Lviv 

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