Prince Harry made an emotional visit to meet injured war veterans inside Ukraine
Published16 minutes ago
The Duke of Sussex has received an enthusiastic welcome in a surprise visit to Ukraine to support injured war veterans, meeting Ukrainian competitors taking part in his Invictus Games.
There were emotional scenes as he was applauded by injured service men and women in Lviv, where he told his audience: "You're going to win the war."
Prince Harry spent two days at events for veterans, with a press blackout for security reasons until he had left Ukraine, as the country continues to face missile attacks from Russia.
Ukraine has more than 150,000 injured war veterans and the prince visited projects supporting their treatment and rehabilitation.
Prince Harry met Kostiantyn Vlasenko, who was airlifted by a drone from the front
"Ukraine now is experiencing elements of war that no other country has experienced before," he said – with technology advancing in areas such as drone warfare, but also in protecting cities and providing treatment.
A mobile phone app is where Ukrainians look for air raid warnings, telling them the direction, timing and type of any incoming missiles.
At the Superhumans Center near Lviv, Harry was shown how growing numbers of injured veterans receive groundbreaking treatment.
International experts used to come to help Ukraine, he said, but "now that has flipped," with Ukraine having the greater expertise with trauma injuries to share with others.
Mykhailo Damaskin, pictured with his dog Stitch, has received experimental treatment to walk
That included an innovation for Mykhailo Damaskin, a Ukrainian air assault forces veteran, who was so seriously injured in fighting in Kherson he was never expected to walk again.
In an experimental treatment he had a spinal cord stimulator implanted in his back, which allows him to walk, but has to be re-charged every 12 hours. He cannot feel his feet and controls his steps using his eyes.
He needs to be plugged in and charged up to be able to move – and jokes that he is "like a demo model of a Tesla".
"My goal is to go to the Invictus Games. I promised my father before he was killed that I'd be part of the team to represent Ukraine internationally.
"I'll prove to every guy with spinal cord injuries that life goes on after injury," said Mykhailo.
At the Superhumans Center Prince Harry sat at the bedside of Konstiantyn Vlasenko, who was airlifted from the front line by a drone last month in a rescue that was a first of its kind.
He had been alone for more than 200 days and had stayed at his position, despite losing both his feet.
In a moving encounter, Prince Harry told him he represented the spirit of resilience of Ukraine.
And he described the injured veterans as "role models", promising his audience: "The rest of the world will continue to support you."
Along with all the determination, it was an inescapably poignant sight too, with so many families and children at the medical facility visiting the growing numbers of badly injured war casualties.
Injured veterans took part in a game of wheelchair rugby
Blast damage from missiles on an historic building in Lviv
At a noisy sports centre, Prince Harry arrived to watch a wheelchair rugby match taking place, with some thunderous collisions between the players.
He was welcomed by the competitors in what he has called his Invictus "family" and soon the visit turned into something approaching a group hug, with Harry disappearing into a sea of selfies and handshakes.
He was presented with a T-shirt remembering prisoners of war held by Russian forces.
And he later had a chance to play one of the events at the Invictus Games, a tennis-style competition called pickleball.
Ivan Voinov, who lost a leg, has learned to dance again with his wife
Watching was Ivan Voinov, who has lost a leg and suffered head injuries, but who is using sport to help his rehabilitation – including learning to dance again.
He said that dancing was his way to be together with his wife again, which meant so much to his recovery and recovering his identity.
At an Invictus awards ceremony during the visit, Prince Harry was greeted with choruses of "Harry, Harry, Harry", getting a rock star welcome.
A Banksy-style piece of street art in Lviv shows the missiles falling
"Every single time I come back to Ukraine, I feel welcome, I feel warmth, I feel encouragement," he said, having returned for a fourth trip here during wartime.
He promised that "when the war is over and when Ukraine wins, we will be ready to support you in holding an Invictus Games".
There have been 400 wounded service men and women in Ukraine taking part in trials for next year's games, being hosted in Birmingham.
The sports events are an attempt to encourage rehabilitation and to recognise the resilience of people overcoming their challenges.
Prince Harry told a gathering of new Invictus members of a "cultural shift" from people being socially awkward about seeing injured veterans to wanting to show respect.
"These people have so much to offer," he said.
"Recovery cannot wait for the war to end, The scale of need in Ukraine is huge, and wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans need the chance to rebuild their lives now," said Rob Owen, chief executive officer of the Invictus Games Foundation.
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