As war rages on, a Ukrainian hospital treating wounded soldiers is running out of space

RIVNE, Ukraine: Five months ago, Ukrainian soldier Kostyantyn Zabulanov took a bullet on the battlefield near the eastern besieged city of Bakhmut.

He is lucky to be alive and has been recuperating in a military hospital since.

Doctors are uncertain whether he will ever be able to walk again, but Mr Zabulanov remains unfazed and is focused on recovery.

He said his objective remains clear – he wants to return to the fight “no matter how many injuries I get”. He also wishes to pass on his knowledge of battle to less experienced soldiers.

The first two months following his injuries were difficult, he said. He was confined to his bed and suffered loss in some body movement and function.

“I couldn't even get up, I couldn't roll over,” Mr Zabulanov said. “The doctors taught me all these again like a child. Absolutely everything, even brushing my teeth was difficult for me and it was all done in my bed.”

“Today, only my legs do not move.”

The bullet that struck him remains lodged in his spine, and after months of rehabilitation, he now uses a wheelchair to get around.

Speaking to CNA while lifting weights during a physiotherapy session, Mr Zabulanov said grimly that he considers the bullet a souvenir from the frontlines.

“If you join the army, first of all, to defend your lands, defend statehood, and everything Ukrainian, then you understand from the very beginning that you are ready to lay down your soul and body for our freedom,” he said.

MILITARY HOSPITAL

Like Mr Zabulanov, many wounded soldiers are recuperating at the military hospital near Rivne in western Ukraine.

A long way from the frontlines, the region has largely avoided Russian missile strikes.

The facility established during World War II is dedicated to the rehabilitation of those hurt in the conflict, and specialises in treating soldiers suffering from spinal injuries.

“This hospital has been providing help to patients with spinal injuries for several years now,” said Dr Dmytro Razkevych, a physical and rehabilitation medicine doctor at the hospital.

“There are not many institutions like this. Patients come to us to take rehabilitation courses from all over Ukraine.”

Medical professionals at the facility do not just treat wounds, they go a step further and help patients adjust to living with their injuries.

The hospital’s rehabilitation programme provides psychological care as well as physical care.

Nearby, there are cottages that provide an opportunity for patients to transition from the hospital to life at home.

International medical experts, including doctors from Canada, Britain and Norway, are also working at the facility to treat patients and share their knowledge.

“We are always learning,” said Dr Iryna Kaspryshyn, a neurologist at the hospital. “We also have the World Health Organization’s (WHO) specialists with us. They tell us how procedures happen abroad, we adapt and learn from them.”

RUNNING OUT OF BEDS

Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and many more injured since Russia’s full-scale invasion a year ago.

As fighting continues in the east of the country, the strain on the military hospital’s resources has increased.

The rehabilitation centre raised its capacity from 50 to 100 beds in summer and plans to expand even more.

“Unfortunately, the war continues, and the number of wounded is rising. There is a great need for expansion. We plan to carry this out in the near future,” said hospital chief Andrii Burachyk.

Doctors at the facility said attitudes towards those with disabilities have changed dramatically since Soviet times.

The support for soldiers at the military hospital is unwavering, but more help is needed for a facility already stretched to its capacity.

With help from the WHO and the British government, efforts are underway to build a specialised spinal rehabilitation centre in Ukraine.