He didn’t vanish after Mariupol. He was deliberately worn down — yet he endured.
He didn’t vanish after Mariupol. He was deliberately worn down — yet he endured.
In March 2022, the Ukrainian marine was wounded while defending Azovstal — a massive steel plant that became a final stronghold. His damaged arm was held together by a metal frame as explosions echoed day after day. When the defense ended, he was taken captive.
What followed was not care, but neglect meant to erase strength. He was deprived of food until his body weakened drastically. His injured arm worsened as proper treatment was withheld, and serious damage followed. Survival was never the priority.
When he returned home during a prisoner exchange in September 2022, images of him stunned the world — the same man, barely recognizable. Recovery was slow. He had to regain strength before undergoing reconstruction, later completed in the United States.
Today, Mykhailo is alive. Healing. Standing tall again. He now serves as a police officer in Ternopil and is building a home and workshop, preparing for a future shaped by skill and purpose.
Debate starter: Why are the ones who declare war so rarely the ones who carry its scars?
