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Took blow from Russian grenade. Doctors in Lviv save life of soldier who lost his legs – photo

Friday, 19 January 2024, 13:04
Took blow from Russian grenade. Doctors in Lviv save life of soldier who lost his legs – photo
Oleh Luchyn. Photo: Nezlamni centre

Oleh Luchyn, a 30-year-old soldier from the village of Zymna Voda in Lviv Oblast, took a blow from a Russian grenade on the Bakhmut front. His brothers-in-arms nearby survived, but his whole body received injuries: from the face to the lower limbs. 

Oleh lost his legs immediately, after which he began a fight for his life which lasted many months.

Oleh told his story at the Nezlamni (Unbroken) rehabilitation centre. 

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A year ago, Oleh was called up to join the Armed Forces, and later he participated in the defence of Bakhmut. At the end of August, he was seriously wounded: the Russians dropped a grenade from a drone into his trench. There were three defenders in the affected area, but Oleh took the brunt of the attack.

 
The defender lost his legs immediately, after which he fought for his life for many months
Photo: Nezlamni centre 

Wounded Oleh could not be evacuated for a long time due to attacks. The tourniquets stayed on Oleh's legs for eight hours, and his body tissue began to die off. The doctors at the stabilisation point had to amputate his limbs, the centre said.

Doctors in Dnipro, Kyiv, and Lviv were working to save Oleh’s life. 

Oleh was taken to a medical institution in Lviv in an extremely serious condition. His condition was complicated by a multidrug-resistant bacterial infection that did not respond to antibiotic treatment. He spent ten days in intensive care.

"The infection greatly affected the work of the lungs and kidneys. In Dnipro, Oleh underwent haemodialysis. When he was admitted to us, the work of his internal organs was supported by machines.

First, we had to fight the infection. And when we succeeded, we closed the soft tissue damage that had arisen after the amputation of his limbs," said surgeon Marian Kuzmak.

 
Oleh was taken to a medical institution in Lviv in an extremely serious condition
Photo: Nezlamni centre 

The defender’s rehabilitation continues. Physical therapists are currently working with him. Another stage in his recovery is the reconstruction of his face, where soft tissue and the nasal septum have been mutilated by shrapnel. After that, doctors will "soften" his scars and lesions.

"Oleh Luchyn dreams of getting back on his feet. He also wants to add a son to his family, where he and his wife are already raising a daughter," the centre notes.

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