The soldier Ruslan received a bionic prosthetic arm

A serviceman of the Third Separate Assault Brigade, Ruslan sustained a severe injury while carrying out a combat mission in the Donetsk region. He has now received a modern bionic prosthesis for his right hand.

Ruslan was at home with his family in the settlement of Mykhailo-Kotsiubynske in the Chernihiv region when Russia launched its full-scale invasion. On the morning of February 24, 2022, the family woke up to explosions. Just a few days later, the settlement was occupied by Russian forces. For almost a month, local residents lived under occupation alongside Russian troops.

In March, Ruslan joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine and became a serviceman of the Third Assault Brigade. He initially carried out missions in the Luhansk region, where he and his fellow soldiers worked to build and strengthen Ukrainian positions.

Ruslan sustained his severe injury on August 7 near the village of Shandryholove in the Donetsk region. His group had been sent on a mission to identify Russian troops hiding on the grounds of a farm. During the operation, the enemy launched an attack and then deployed drones.

One of the drones exploded near the group. Ruslan suffered a severe injury to his right hand, losing four finger phalanges. He could only be evacuated the following morning, after having a tourniquet applied for approximately 20 hours. Throughout that time, his fellow soldiers stayed by his side, supported him, and helped him remain conscious.

Despite the severity of his injury, the process of obtaining a prosthesis began as early as December. However, due to a long waiting list, the process took longer than expected. Now, with the support of the Techiia Foundation, Ruslan has received a modern bionic prosthesis for his right hand and is beginning a new stage of rehabilitation — adapting to the prosthesis and rebuilding his skills.

He was able to assess the first results after just a few hours of using the prosthesis. Ruslan says he is gradually learning to perform simple everyday tasks and control his new limb.

“I tried picking up and putting down a bottle — it’s gradually starting to work. It’s not difficult to control. I like it. Everything is great,” Ruslan says.

The next stage will involve adaptation, training, and gradually regaining familiar movements. But the first step has already been taken: the modern prosthesis will help Ruslan restore some of the functions he lost and become more independent in his everyday life.