Bionic prosthesis for defender Yurii

This is Yurii, he is 25 years old. He began his military career at the age of 19 when he enlisted in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and was discharged as a junior sergeant 18 months later.

During the full-scale invasion, in April 2022, Yurii joined the army. On the 17th of April, he received a call-up, and on the 19th he was already undergoing training. After that, the man was sent to the Zaporizhzhia region to defend his homeland. Yurii understood what war was. He clearly imagined all that horror. But he also clearly realized that he had to defend his land and his family. Who else but us!

On January 16, 2023, in the same Zaporizhzhia direction in Orikhiv district, Yurii was seriously injured by enemy fire while performing a combat mission. Three of his comrades-in-arms were killed, and Yurii lost his right eye, hand, and nose and face, but he survived.

"I remember that day well, although it was not much different from the others. We went on a combat mission in a Vito minibus, arrived at the position, got out of the car, and the commander was clearly communicating the tasks. At that very moment, an enemy drone arrived and dropped a 55 mm shell on us.

I was thrown several meters to the asphalt. I did not see anything from the impact. Only a few seconds later I came to and realized that my arm was torn off, my other arm was damaged, my right eye was bleeding, and I could not see anything in my left eye and did not understand what was wrong with it. I realized that I could not help myself. I shouted if there were people who could help. A fellow soldier ran up to me and said: "Brother, I don't know what to do, I wasn't trained for this!". I did not lose my temper and said: "If you do nothing, I will die. Listen to me carefully, and everything will be fine!". Then I was in charge and told them what to do."

Despite his severe injuries, Yurii was conscious all the time, until the surgery. No unnecessary emotions, just a cold mind. And after the man regained consciousness in the intensive care unit, he felt fierce anger and a desire to return for revenge.

This was followed by many surgeries on his head and body. Yurii has several more surgeries on his face ahead.

"It's hard for me without my arm, because before the war I was a construction worker, I worked all my life and earned money with my hands. I'm used to working, so I need a bionic prosthesis with a TASKA hand. I understand that it will not replace my arm, but I believe that I will at least get closer to what I had before. I will be very grateful to everyone who will help me."

The total cost of the bionic prosthesis is 41,000 USD. For the primary prosthesis for Yurii's amputation, the state allocates 381 512 UAH, and the rest of the amount we raise on dobro.ua.

Yurii recently got married, he dreams of having a large family, walking with his children and feeling the freedom he so desires under the peaceful sky of his homeland. 

Let's help the defender!