I am the author of the Goodacity blog, a journalist, and a translator. For 16 years, I have worked in professional journalism, contributing to regional and national publications, both in print and online media. I have written reports, conducted interviews, reviews, articles on cultural, social, and charitable topics, as well as materials in the style of "solution journalism" and communication materials.
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A veteran discusses life after amputation and what keeps him going
He tenderly holds a yellow-and-blue flag in his hand as his most prized possession. He embraces his wife, and on a drone, which was purchased through volunteer efforts and is being sent to the front, he writes the name of a fallen comrade… All of this, he does with just one hand. His left remained under Bahmut, Ukraine.
His military uniform bears the nickname “Artist” as a reminder of life before the war. Ruslan Ivanov from Chernihiv, Ukraine, worked as a production designer at Victoria Film Studios. With the onset of the full-scale war, he did not hesitate to go and defend Ukraine.
Our interview with the hero was intended to be about the war, but it turned out to be about love and values.
“Love heals the wounds of war,” Mr. Ruslan says, recovering from his injury. “Between the two of us, we have three hands and an ocean of love!”
The Guardian of Our Skies
“On the morning of February 24th, I was driving to a shoot when I heard explosions — Russians were bombing Kyiv, Ukraine,” recalls the man. “I dropped off my mom — since I was giving her a lift — turned around, parked the car, and headed to the recruitment office. I enlisted in a unit, received a weapon, and from February 25th, I defended Ukraine.
His wife and son in Chernihiv woke up to the explosions and… immediately started volunteering! His son, Dmytro, at just sixteen, joined the territorial defense as a paramedic. When Chernihiv, Ukraine, was under siege, he was saving people from the rubble of a school hit by air bombs… I was incredibly worried about them both! I said to my son, ‘Dima, you’re a high school student, in tenth grade, how did you end up in the territorial defense?’ And he replied, ‘Just like you ended up where you are now,’—he laughs. —We talked, wished each other luck, and went about our duties.”
During his service, Ruslan Ivanov was part of a mobile fire unit protecting the Ukrainian sky: it was to him and his comrades that we owed our gratitude for a clear sky and gave praise after each air raid alert, reading the statistics of downed enemy “Shaheds.”
“It’s not easy,” the man says, “because you have to be ready to spring into action at the first signal — whether in the middle of the night or whenever. But when you take down a ‘Shahed,’ the emotions, the adrenaline!
Even after you’ve taken down all targets, long after the all-clear, you still automatically scan the sky, looking for targets you might have missed… There was a time we guarded an important infrastructure point in the Kyiv region — it was a huge responsibility, shooting down everything that flew.
We fulfilled our duty, did what we had to. Told to take down Shaheds — we did; then we were sent to Eastern Ukraine — and off we went…
So much happened during the service. The hardest part? The most painful was seeing your comrades die, those you spent so much time with, shoulder to shoulder… At the same time, the war gave me true, reliable friends, and made me rethink many life values.”
While the man was on the front, Mrs. Olena volunteered and brought Victory closer! From the first days of the full-scale invasion, she helped civilians and the military.
And in the spring of ’22, the Ivanov family experienced a very touching and poignant event — the couple got married!
Took Leave from the War... to Get Married!
“I asked my commander for a few days off,” Ruslan shares. “On my way, I stopped by the church, arranged the wedding, and bought everything needed. I didn’t even tell Olena — I wanted to surprise her. I got home and said, ‘That’s it, let’s go get married,’ he laughs. “So, 17 years after our civil ceremony, we renewed our vows before God… We got married and right from the church, I got into the car and went back to duty because I was urgently called back.”
“And the bride stayed at home alone,” laughs Mrs. Olena. “Ruslan didn’t even come inside — he changed into his uniform in the car. Every time he went to the front, my heart was in knots, worried, praying for him… I found solace in volunteering — preparing supplies for the front. The military reaches out to us when needs arise — we prepare requests from many brigades, sending various supplies to the front.
I was once asked, ‘Do you only prepare for your own?’ And I said, ‘I have no strangers. I haven’t seen or known any of them personally, but they are all mine, all ours, “the most ours”! Of course, I also sent my husband all kinds of treats — and then enlisted him for kitchen duty at home…”
“When your wife is a volunteer, there’s always action at home,” Ruslan smiles. “Sometimes, I come back from the front for a day or two off, and I tell Olena, let’s stay home, rest…
I arrive and it starts: ‘Let’s just quickly go here and there, buy something more for the boys, I’ve already packed a parcel, then we’ll drop it off at the post office, send it off…’ That’s how I rest,” he laughs. “And I’ve helped my wife in the kitchen more than once—making meatballs with her, even stuffing fish—because I knew it was all going to the guys, fellow soldiers.
“My wife is an ‘energizer’—always moving, working. And after I got wounded, I realized she wouldn’t let me ‘mope around’, lying down feeling sorry for myself, she wouldn’t let my spirits drop… When I was injured, she immediately took on nursing me back to health, coming into the room—’So, why are we lying down? Come on, get up, let’s go for a walk, get some fresh air…'”
Love Heals – Wife Prevents Depression After Amputation
Mr. Ruslan was wounded this October near Bahmut, in Andriivka, Ukraine. He recounts how he was lucky to make it out alive from what was essentially hell. The enemy was about 50 meters away, the shelling was intense, and he watched a friend die in his arms… Ruslan was wounded and couldn’t leave because they were under fire from all directions, with a tourniquet on his arm for 21 hours. They only managed to escape at night. He also had shrapnel wounds in his legs – part of the way he walked on his own, and part of the way his comrades carried him under mortar fire.
“I was left with another comrade from my unit – he with a severe concussion, and I wounded. I told him, ‘Olezhka, you go ahead, I’m done…’ But he stood over me, wouldn’t budge, barely able to speak, yet kept saying, ‘Come on, let’s go, you still have to celebrate at my wedding…’
We were covered from drones, but we kept going, falling, running out of strength, Oleg kept pushing me with his ‘get up, walk, I won’t go without you…’ Then came the hospital, surgery, and Olena rushed to me immediately. She pulled me through with all her might – I didn’t fall into depression thanks to her. I’ve been lucky with good people – doctors, volunteers, friends, and family who helped and supported me a lot.”
“When Ruslan was in the hospital in Kyiv, he had so many visitors that there was literally a line to his room,” says Mrs. Olena. “Now we continue rehabilitation at home, waiting for prosthetic fitting.”
“When filling out the paperwork for the prosthetic, you had to write down your motivation – and Ruslan wrote that he wants to hold his grandchildren with both arms, which moved me to tears… Now, when I visit home from the hospital where I’m undergoing rehabilitation, I even help Olena when she’s preparing treats for the guys on the front. I promised my wife I’d do push-ups with one arm – now I’m training, doing push-ups, because promises have to be kept.
I remember my grandfather – he was a war veteran with a first-degree disability. He was 87 when my grandmother fell and broke a rib, couldn’t walk. So, at 87, he sawed off a stool, brought it to the garden, and on that stool, he alone weeded a 30-acre garden! When we arrived and saw it – we scolded him, saying, why do it alone, we’ll help! But he said, ‘I can do it myself!’ I’m just as stubborn. Set a goal and go for it, even if on a stool, but reach it! The main thing is to have someone by your side, like my wife,” he laughs…
“If you don’t want to take charge – she’ll make you! Love heals…
But it’s also important not to give up yourself – because if you don’t pull yourself together, no one else can help you. I’ve realized for myself – I don’t want to be broken, I don’t want to give up!
I’ve been to doctors, hospitals, seen guys who, after severe injuries, lost their spirit, who no longer wait for or want anything – and it hurts my soul for them… There needs to be a clear rehabilitation plan, support for soldiers, including psychological.
Our society doesn’t always know how to adequately respond to soldiers with amputations, injuries, and prosthetics – a few will nod, thank, most will pass by and lower their eyes. I’m not ashamed to look people in the eye. I wish they wouldn’t avert their gaze when they see my empty sleeve…
Overall – it’s crucial to remember that life doesn’t end with an injury and you need to move forward, find something for yourself – work, a hobby, or sport.”
Ruslan confesses that he wants to return to filmmaking. He misses his work, it even appears in his dreams.
“I want to hold my grandchildren – with both arms, even if one is made of iron or carbon. There are still many plans for life! But most of all, I want Victory. Then we’ll see what comes next.”
