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"My body covered with scars": story of man who suffered 65% of body burns due to attack on Vinnytsia

Friday, 1 September 2023, 11:02

Yurii Mysak, a resident of Vinnytsia, who came under Russian missile fire on 14 July 2022 and sustained 65% of his body burns, is undergoing rehabilitation in Lviv. 

At the moment of the attack, the man and his friend were in a car, as they were supposed to go run errands, the Ministry of Health said. 

As a result of the explosion, the car caught fire, and the men ended up on the asphalt. Recalling that moment, Yurii says it was like a horror film in slow motion: fire, blood, rubble, wounded people and smashed cars. There was a ringing in his ears and a taste of iron in his mouth. 

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Yurii and his friend ran away from the epicentre of the strike, and the man's clothes were on fire: his trousers were almost completely burnt, his T-shirt was on fire and melting on the sleeves and in the stomach area.

 
Yurii Mysak
All photos: Ministry of Health/Neopalymi

People helped Yurii walk to the nearest hospital. 

"Local doctors were shocked by the patient's condition and the fact that he managed to get there on his own two feet. He had numerous burns, a serious contusion, a laceration on his head, and a shock," the Ministry of Health said. 

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At first, Yurii was sent to the village of Pyrohiv, Vinnytsia Oblast, then to Lviv, and then to Poland for a month and a half. 

 

To this day, there are many things a man cannot do on his own – walk, dress or put on shoes

After coming back to Ukraine, scars began to grow on his body. As he said, the pain did not subside – ever, maybe for a moment. Currently, the man is receiving treatment and rehabilitation as part of the Neopalymi (Unburned) project, which treats Ukrainians for burns and scars of a non-domestic nature free of charge.   

Currently, Yurii cannot do many things on his own, such as dressing or walking. 

Despite the fact that his arms are completely covered with scars, Yurii remains optimistic.  He is happy to have survived. 

 
The man dreams of returning to normal life as soon as possible

Patients of the Neopalymi project can be people with:

  • skin damage (burns or scars) as a result of military operations;
  • confirmation of a non-domestic injury, provided by a doctor/military medical commission.

You can contact the project team by phone: +38 (066) 906-06-14, or on the website here

The Ministry of Health says that up to 1,200 people can receive free medical care and treatment for burns and scars every year. 

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