#Ukrainian Combat Medics

Carrying the scars of years in Russian captivity and a bullet lodged in his heart, combat medic “Bizon” saved civilians during Russia’s recent drone attack on Lviv. This is his story.

While Russia is taking lives, others are doing everything they can to save them. Every day, thousands of combat medics and doctors make their utmost effort to preserve the lives and health of Ukraine’s defenders. In evacuation vehicles, at stabilization points, and in hospitals, their mission remains unchanged—to ensure their patients survive. We spoke with four medics about the challenges they face.

Every night and day, surgeons from the 3rd Army Corps’ 4th Separate Medical Battalion race against time to save the lives of fellow soldiers. Our team spent 24 hours with them, sharing their grueling routine and their relentless fight to deal with the gruesome consequences of war.

“When your loved ones, your homeland, your entire nation are under threat—what do you do? You fight back.” For millions of Ukrainians, that answer has become a daily reality since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“It’s all good and well when you get people out alive and bring them to safety,” says Ruslana, a Ukrainian combat medic. “But the hardest thing is when you lose someone in your hands.”