Seizures began abroad. Orphaned brothers who survived Russian missile attack return to Lviv for treatment

The Yankovski brothers from Odesa Oblast, who were injured by a Russian missile attack, returned to Ukraine for further treatment after a year of rehabilitation in the UK.

The children were found to have a new problem – a neurological one, the First Medical Association of Lviv reported. 

The children's mother and stepfather were killed on the night of 1 July 2022, when Russia attacked the village of Serhiivka in Odesa Oblast. Neighbours rescued 8-year-old Yakiv and 14-year-old Volodia Yankovski from under the rubble.

"Yakiv was hit in the neck by a piece of wreckage. For the boy to survive, rescue workers had to clamp the damaged vessel. This caused oxygen starvation and a stroke. As a result, the child was paralysed on the left side of his body. 

The eldest brother Volodia had multiple injuries, in particular, a severe traumatic brain injury and a complex fracture of the radius bone of his right arm," the medical institution notes.  

First aid was provided to the children in Odesa Oblast, and then they were transported to Lviv to the St Nicholas Hospital.

The children's cousin came to the medical facility, took them under her care, and later took them abroad for rehabilitation. 

After a year of rehabilitation in clinics in Austria and the UK, the children have almost fully recovered – younger Yakiv walks, and older Volodia moves his arm. 

The children's cousin took them under care and then took them abroad 

However, a year after the Russian missile attack, the orphans received the dangerous consequences of their mine-blast injury. Yakiv began to have neurological disorders – seizures. He has already been hospitalised twice because of them. 

Yakiv was diagnosed with latent epilepsy and suspected of having the moyamoya disease

The cause of the seizures could not be determined, so his guardian decided to seek help from Ukrainian doctors.

In Ukraine, the children underwent an electroencephalography - a brain test that revealed the cause. Yakiv has latent epilepsy and suspected moyamoya disease when nodules form in the brain blood vessels. There is a huge risk that the stroke will recur.

Both brothers were prescribed anticonvulsant therapy. All Photos: First Medical Association of Lviv

The examination revealed similar problems in the eldest of the brothers, Volodia. During the active phase of sleep, he also begins to have seizures. 

Now, both brothers have been prescribed anticonvulsant therapy. 

In half a year, the Yankovski brothers will again come from abroad to Lviv. 

Children dream that when Ukraine wins, they will come home forever.

Background: On 1 July, the Russian Federation launched a missile attack on the village of Serhiivka in Odesa Oblast, as a result of which 22 people were killed.

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