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Ukrainian Teen Who Lost Legs in Missile Attack Helps Fund Prosthetics for War Veterans

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Photo of Liubava Petriv
Liubava Petriv
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Ukrainian Teen Who Lost Legs in Missile Attack Helps Fund Prosthetics for War Veterans
Yana Stepanenko participates in the Boston Marathon. (Source: Press Service of the First Medical Association of Lviv)

Fourteen-year-old Yana Stepanenko, who lost both legs in an April 2022 missile strike on the Kramatorsk railway station, is using her recovery to support others facing similar challenges, NV reported on May 5.

The attack, which occurred during a civilian evacuation, killed 61 people and injured 121, including Yana and her mother Nataliia.

Despite her injuries, Yana leads an active life and participates in international marathons on prosthetic legs.

Most recently, she traveled to Tokyo to run in support of 36-year-old Ukrainian veteran Oleksandr Zhavnenko, who lost both legs near Toretsk while serving in the Azov Brigade.

Before the full-scale invasion, Zhavnenko was a ballroom dancer and now hopes to return to the dance floor after receiving a specialized running prosthesis.

Yana Stepanenko and Oleksandr Zhavnenko. (Source: UNBROKEN/Facebook)
Yana Stepanenko and Oleksandr Zhavnenko. (Source: UNBROKEN/Facebook)

“After hearing Oleksandr’s story, I immediately wanted to help,” said Yana. “I truly hope he can return to the life he once knew—walking, running, even dancing.”

This was not Yana’s first charitable run. Earlier, she participated in the Boston Marathon, where she raised funds for a sports prosthesis for 30-year-old National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Oleksandr Riasnyi, now the deputy commander of the “Kara-Dag” brigade. Riasnyi lost a leg in combat in September 2023.

Yana Stepanenko and Oleksandr Zhavnenko. (Source: Press Service of the First Medical Association of Lviv.)
Yana Stepanenko and Oleksandr Zhavnenko. (Source: Press Service of the First Medical Association of Lviv.)

Thanks to her participation in the Tokyo Marathon, Yana has already raised 42% of the funds needed for Zhavnenko’s prosthesis. The fundraising goal is 1.5 million hryvnias (around $40,000).

Yana says she finds motivation in the resilience of those around her and in the stories of people who continue to live life to the fullest despite serious injuries.

Previously, it was reported that UNITED24, Ukraine’s official fundraising platform, launched in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion, has collected more than 56 billion UAH (over $1.4 billion) since its inception on May 5, 2022.

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