The 3rd division of the 80th Brigade spent the first days of undeclared war with Russia defending Ukrainian territory in Sloviansk, and later – Luhansk Airport. One of the soldiers – Petro Bavtro, who was seriously injured, shared memories of battle with pro-Russian terrorists with our volunteers (in Ukrainian).
“We drove to the site, which proved to be full of separatist roadblocks. We did not retreat, then went to break through. There was a skirmish, our division took a hostile position and the seperatists retreated. We went forward, forward, forward…until we got to Luhansk Airport. There was no escape for us, there was no airport, the wounded we transported into a bunker. Marines were killed with IL-76, too,” the Ukrainian fighter says.
For almost two months the boys were surrounded, and then began to increase their positions and attempt to get out of the airport. Insurgents spotted and coordinate Ukraine’s army postions and fired. The battle lasted about eight hours. On the night of August 17, 2014 into the trench, where Petro was sheltering from enemy artillery flew two shells. He was seriously wounded, and two of his comrades were killed immediately. As well as numerous shrapnel wounds the soldier was left open spinal-spinal injury.
Immediately after being wounded Petro was transported to a Kharkiv hospital where the first operation performed, and then – sent to Lviv. A few days after surgery the fighter could move his left leg, but this process of recovery has stopped.
The leg of the soldier has been non-operational for about 1.5 years. His thigh muscles have atrophied and he has a loss of sensitivity. Petro moves using crutches. In addition, he often feels pain in his back.
In case of non-treatment, the fighter could remain disabled because of his atrophied leg, and the lack of ability to carry weight could lead to curvature of the spine. However the neurosurgeon at iLaya Medical Center expects good results in the recovery of nerve damage after paravertebral (into the spinal canal) introduction of cellular material.
Now Petro is at home, waiting for his second phase of treatment. We keep our fingers crossed for a rapid recovery.
The entire amount of money to treat Petro was gathered by The People’s Project through donations from caring people. The project involves injuries for which biotechnology represents the only chance for recovery. Most wounded were enrolled in the project Bioengineering Rehabilitation for Wounded after long and exhausting treatment in public hospitals using traditional methods that yielded no results.
Earlier, The People’s Project reported the incredible restoration of the bone in a 19-year-old’s leg. Recently doctors formed new bone in a wounded soldier from the “Donbas” Battalion.
Since the Ukrainian Government, through legislative and other restrictions, can not support biotechnology in the treatment of wounded soldiers, their only hope lies with people.
We ask you to get involved and help Ukraine’s defenders.
