Ukrainian soldier defies injury: “My coordination and memory are coming back”

“Coordination has been restored, memory has improved, I can cover short distances without crutches,” a serviceman about progress in treatment at the rehabilitation center of Dnipro

Mykola is 53 years old, he is from Dnipro. Before the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, he worked in the banking sector for more than 20 years, he went from a simple economist to the chief specialist in financing international activities. After February 24, 2022, he realized that his duty was to be in the army.

“I weighed the decision to go to the Armed Forces of Ukraine for a week, I understood that it was a serious exit from the comfort zone. But I felt that I had to go. On March 7 I was already at the Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support. I made such a ‘gift’ to my wife for March 8. She said: ‘This is your choice” and supported me, the defender recalls.

Officially, Mykola was a communications specialist, but in fact he served in the infantry. Later, of his own will, he underwent training as a sapper, as he understood that in war there are no unnecessary specialties. He served in the Kherson, Donetsk, Sumy, and Kharkiv directions. He received his first serious injury on December 13, 2025, during a rotation. The unit was checking logistics routes when they were attacked by an FPV drone. The munition hit a large tree nearby, it fell directly on Mykola. As a result, a severe contusion of the head and neck, a fracture of the lower leg, and an injury to the arm. He was unconscious for two days.

“I regained consciousness already at the stabilization point. At first there were problems with vision, coordination, memory. The leg was broken very seriously. I could not step on it at all. I was on leave for a month, essentially on bed rest, waiting for the bone to heal,” the fighter shares.

Now Mykola is recovering at the rehabilitation center of Dnipro. He says he feels progress, coordination has been restored, memory has improved, he can already cover short distances without crutches.

“My goal is to recover enough to walk normally. I understand that running, perhaps, I will no longer be able to do, but the final decision will be made by the Military Medical Commission. I plan to return to service. The bank is waiting for me, the position is being kept, but now my priority is recovery and returning to my brothers-in-arms,” Mykola summarized.

“Mykola was admitted with consequences of a closed traumatic brain injury: he had impairments of memory, attention, and visuospatial orientation, because of which he could get lost even in the ward. We applied a comprehensive approach, robotic therapy Tyromotion and Nirvana to restore cognitive functions, as well as game-based methods to restore speech. An important part was work with a psychologist on orientation in space and the introduction of a ‘day map’ for independent planning of the schedule. Now Mykola already walks without crutches, moves freely around the hospital, and shows significant progress in communication. He is motivated, as he sees real results of his work,” commented senior occupational therapist, Anna.

Credit : Dnipro center