He wears sunglasses that do not allow his eyes to see. He agrees to remove them to show the devastation of the Ukrainian war in his eyes. He has cracked skin. The retina is occupied by blue dots. The nose, cheekbones, eyelids and forehead are covered with small, blackened sores. “I was hit by the shrapnel of a bomb while fighting in Lugansk“, explains Sergy Yashenkoa 24-year-old soldier tries to regain his sight and hearing in Catalan hospitals. He is one of 12 veteran fighters in Vladimir Putin’s war, honored by various Ukrainian associations formed in Barcelona last weekend. Others lost their legs or arms. Scars crossed their bodies. The psychological damage is huge. Ruslan ChuviloA drug dealer, who decided to defend his country with almost no military training, often hints that it’s on his mind. commit suicide.
In addition to the thousands of refugees who fled the country, the Spanish Government also provides shelter and health care to more than a hundred war-wounded in the Ukraine conflict in cities such as Barcelona. Valencia, Sabadell anyone Madrid. Yashenko arrived on June 21. He waited three months in Ukrainian war hospitals before flying to Spain for special care that would restore his vision. “It is the only institution that specializes in Ukraine I was in Odessaand it was impossible to go with the bombing,” says the soldier. 21 June, managed to travel to Barcelona with her mother and eventually received a diagnosis. “The apparent damage is irreparable, I only have 20% vision: I see things very closely, but very poor quality. But they told me maybe I could get my hearing back,” she says hopefully. Territory annexed by the Russians“We are communicating with them, they are fine,” he says.
An ad with a machine gun
Yashenko is a military man. He had been fighting for more than four years in the Donetsk region, which Russia annexed in 2014. He remains skeptical about the situation in his country. “I’ve been through battles, wounds… but I can’t fit inside, I can’t believe there is one war in ukraine“, follow. Ruslan ChuviloInstead, he was one of the civilians. Volunteered for the army. He did so two days after Putin began invading the entire country on February 24. “Ukraine is a free country and I want it to stay that way. That’s why I decided to enlist, because If I have children, I want them to be free, to do whatever they want and dream.… they are no one’s slaves,” explains this former warrior, who sells pharmaceutical products in the country’s main hospitals.
Today Chuvilo’s hands embrace the Ukrainian flag. The same people who opened fire a few months ago. machine gun. “I was taught something in the military, but I learned to use it in combat,” says the 38-year-old man. Did he kill other people? “I won’t answer if I killbut i saw many dead and injured brothers. I took them from the battlefield myself, I tried to revive them… I saw everything,” she replies. His eyes are moist, though he maintains his honesty. “What happens in wars you will never see in a movie. And when I think about it… sometimes I think I only have one way out. But I’m Ukrainian and I know I can beat him.”
Miracles in the Hospital Clinic
In her case, the results are evident on her face. He has a scar between his cheeks and nose. When the shirt is removed, the remnants of the shrapnel blow are revealed. A piece of bomb completely destroyed his chin Y almost her foursome. “The metal went through my face and remained on the first vertebra about a millimeter from the spine,” he says. It was also in Lugansk, on April 6th. it was two months later He was treated at the Hospital Clinic in Barcelonawhere concussion is treated as well as placing a prosthesis on the palate.
Death is a very present word in the lives of these war-wounded. They saw him and ran away from him. “The greatest emotion you feel in war is fear. There is no love. But if you don’t take it out, you die. I learned to change my fear of aggression and violence against the enemy. When you are not afraid, you can do your duty. You know you can die, but you do everything that depends on you and give more than one hundred percent. You have to understand that you can diebut it does everything possible and impossible”, explains Chuvilo.
“Take care of peace”
Yashenko and Chuvilo They are totally grateful for the welcome to the Ukrainian volunteers and the Catalan community. “I just ask the Catalans to take care of their health and peace. This is the most important thing.. I wish peace reigns here“, says Yashenko. However, he is very clear that he wants to return to his country. “Of course,” he nods. “I want to thank the Ukrainian volunteers who take care of us and ask us how we are every day. , the Spanish government giving us three meals a day and free medical treatment in a hotel. But I ask you to help Ukraine: not only refugees, but also the armed forces. We fight against the army of evil and if we don’t resist… he won’t stop until he reaches Spain,” Chuvilo denounced.
Two of them are part of more than a hundred wounded from the war who were treated by the Spanish healthcare system. “We have reached an agreement for financing” prosthesis what many use: they were left without legs or arms,” he explains. Luba GobaCoordinator of the Spanish-Ukrainian volunteer association Blagosvit. This year he visited the war hospitals in his country and moved heaven and earth to welcome them here. The presence not only encourages acts of solidarity, but also tries to restore the memory of the home by cooking typical dishes from its native land. “The main problem we have right now is housing. Now they live in hotels, but that won’t last forever. And we can’t find a place for them… It’s very difficult,” says Goba.