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Ukrainian with prosthetics of both legs defends his homeland

Photo: Serhii Hudak

Vasyl Shtefko, a 55-year-old military from Zakarpattia, Kushnytsia village, serves as a driver in a combat fire support. He lost both legs in 2004 while working in Russia.

The first time Shtefko tried to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2014 he was rejected due to his disability.

When Russia launched the full-scale invasion, Shtefko gave it a second try. He went to the Military Committee on the second day after the war started.

In order to get to the front lines, Shtefko said he had only one prosthesis.
He says that he was most afraid that someone might see the prostheses and bring him home.

Yaroslav Halas, the press secretary of the 128th separate mountain assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, proudly wrote about his acquaintance with Vasyl Shtefko.

“It is impossible to defeat the country that such people go to defend. The time will come, and Vasyl Shtefko will trample the two-headed chicken on the Russian coat of arms with his prostheses,” – wrote Halas.

 

 

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