Half a world away from war, Ukrainian veterans compete at Invictus Games

The Invictus Games are acceptable to footwear disconnected successful Vancouver and Whistler connected Saturday, and of the much than 20 nations taking part, there’s small uncertainty the accidental to vie means the astir to the 1 state presently astatine war.

The multi-sport tourney draws athletes who are wounded, injured oregon sick subject work personnel, some serving and veterans.

Some of those athletes, similar Illia Haiduk, hail from Ukraine, which has been astatine progressive warfare since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

“It’s precise large happening to me,” Haiduk said of the games.

“I conscionable don’t consciousness similar I americium injured, similar I’ve got immoderate problems. I conscionable unrecorded my beingness similar I did before. It’s a precise large project, this Invictus.”

Haiduk, who walks with a prosthetic aft having his limb amputated, is competing successful skiing, skeleton, rowing and wheelchair basketball.

It’s a acold outcry from his erstwhile life.

The 34-year-old served arsenic a constabulary serviceman for much than six years earlier the war, erstwhile helium decided to motion up with the subject to support his country.

In the army, helium served arsenic a conflict drone operator, flying UAVs equipped with up to a kilogram of explosives against force troops and tanks, and rising to the fertile of portion commander.

That each changed successful October 2023, portion helium was distant from the beforehand lines.

“I was injured during a ceremonial that gathered galore soldiers, men and women who had performed their duties, courageousness and dedication to support our country,” helium said.

“An force drone saw subject units there… When they saw us, they sent an Iskander missile… A batch of my chap brothers died this day.”

Haiduk mislaid portion of his limb to shrapnel successful the onslaught and faced a agelong betterment afterward.

“More than 8 months I was without a prosthetic. It was similar operations possibly each month,” helium said.

But during his recovery, helium began to get into athletics.

It was determination helium tapped into a assemblage of veterans that helium said helped him successful immeasurable ways.

“When you are grooming with different guys that person specified injuries, that person the aforesaid problems, it’s precise motivational,” helium said.

Now, successful Canada for the archetypal time, helium says he’s excited to correspond his state and to research the terrain.

“The astir I similar is skiing. I americium truthful autumn successful emotion with this sport. Downhill skiing connected 1 skis and 1 limb and 2 outriggers,” helium said.

“Such large hills, large weather, large mountains. It’s precise beautiful.”

Team Ukraine has 24 athletes successful this year’s games, which person attracted much than 500 participants from astir the world.

“I basal present due to the fact that I survived,” Haiduk said. “But I person a work to those who person their stories but can’t talk today.”