"I was screaming so loud from the pain that all the surrounding villages could hear me": the story of a soldier who lost both legs at the contact line

Soldier Serhii Denysov lost both his legs at the contact line. He has undergone over 20 operations and months of rehabilitation. 

But he still has his sense of humour and fighting spirit, the First Medical Association reports.

Serhii, 29, from Vyshhorod, Kyiv Oblast, joined the army after Russia occupied Crimea, though it took him a while. 

Deemed fit for limited military service, Serhii was turned away from the enlistment office eight times. Eventually, he joined the ranks of a volunteer formation in 2015.

29-year-old Serhii Denysov. All photos: the First Medical Association of Lviv

Serhii got married in the summer of 2022 and spent his "honeymoon" in the battles for Kharkiv Oblast. He was wounded in early autumn.

The fighter was blown up by several mines at once, losing both legs as a result. 

"I was screaming so loud from the pain that all the surrounding villages could hear me. While I was being carried away, I asked them to finish me off. I knew what I was signing up for. But I didn't know it would hurt so much," Serhii says.

The pain lasted for another four months, during which Serhii underwent more than 20 operations and multiple blood transfusions.

Over the past year, Serhii has not only lost both his legs - his and his wife's apartment was also hit by a Russian missile

Doctors say the most difficult task was to save his knee and avoid further re-amputation. Once they had achieved this, Serhii was sent for rehabilitation and prosthetics.

"The months without movement have immobilised Serhii's joint, and he can’t straighten his knee – this is called contracture. To reduce this, he does exercises with a physiotherapist every day," the First Medical Association reported. 

While Serhii was in hospital, his apartment was hit by a Russian missile. Serhii and his wife no longer have their own home. 

Now the fighter's wife is by his side every day. She jokes that she is a day patient. She supports Serhii in everything, even his desire to continue military service. 

Serhii doesn’t know how mobile he will be on artificial limbs, but he is sure he will find a role in the army.

After rehabilitation, Serhii plans to return to the army

"Human desires are stronger than anything else. Losing limbs doesn’t mean your life is over. There are prostheses, there are lots of options," Serhii adds.

Previously: A soldier who was seriously wounded in mid-February 2023 when a bullet got stuck near his heart has recovered and returned to the contact line.

Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron!