- The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War has caused thousands of casualties on both sides.
- During the conflict, a live grenade ended up in a Ukrainian soldier’s chest.
- The Ukrainian Armed Forces had warned that the grenade could detonate at anytime. However, one of Kyiv’s surgeons removed it without harm.
- Since the war’s beginning, Russia has directed almost four attacks per day at Ukraine’s medical personnel and healthcare facilities.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine remains one of the biggest outbreaks of violence in Europe since World War Two and has had a significant impact around the world. Like most wars it has led to a humanitarian crisis, with reports of high casualties and human rights violations.
One particular case is of an unlucky soldier who ended up with a live grenade in his chest. Luckily, a military surgeon successfully operated on it, saving the soldier’s life. An official statement from the Ukrainian military confirmed this bone-chilling story.
Grenade Removal Surgery
Before surgery, the Ukrainian armed forces warned that the grenade could detonate anytime. Luckily, the operation was successful, and the soldier lived to fight another day.
One of Ukraine’s most experienced military surgeons, Andriy Verba, operated on the soldier. He removed the explosive without electrocoagulation – a widely used technique for controlling blood loss during surgical procedures.
Later, the Ukrainian military sent the soldier for rehabilitation and recovery. Following the incident, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shared two incredible photos showing an X-ray image of the grenade lodged inside the soldier’s chest, and a post-surgery snap of Verba holding the undetonated weapon.
The military identified the weapon as a “VOG grenade” – commonly used by Russian soldiers.
However, the Ukrainian army did not provide information on when the surgeon operated on the soldier nor did it disclose how the grenade entered the soldier’s body in the first place.
Fortunately the incident did not prove lethal for the soldier. As per Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister, Hanna Maliar, “Not every injury to the heart is fatal!”
Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022. It represented a significant escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which started in 2014. To this day, the invasion has led to many casualties on both sides.
An advisor to the Ukrainian President, Mykhailo Podolyak, recently disclosed the death toll. Podolyak stated that the country had lost an estimated 10,000 to 13,000 soldiers since the beginning of the war. On the other hand, the U.S. claimed that the ongoing conflict had left approximately 100,000 troops dead or injured on each side.
“You’re looking at well over 100,000 Russian soldiers killed and wounded,” Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in November 2022.
“Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side,” he added.
In addition, General Milley said that Moscow’s attack had also killed around 40,000 Ukrainian civilians. Additionally, the number of displaced people in Ukraine ranges from 15 million to 30 million. That’s “a lot of human suffering,” said Gen. Milley.
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Besides deaths, the conflict also created an issue of migration. It has caused Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War Two. Over 7.9 million Ukrainians have already left the country. Moreover, a large number of Russians moved out within five weeks of the invasion. Reports say it is Russia’s most significant emigration since the October Revolution of 1917.
Both Kyiv and Moscow used to share friendly borders in the past. However, political interests came in the way.
The Kremlin constantly desired to keep its neighbor pro-Russia. Nevertheless, Kyiv, in the past few years, tilted more towards the West, showing its desire to join NATO. The decision always bothered Moscow.
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In addition, some analysts believe that the U.S. provoked the Russian invasion. According to them, the Kremlin repeatedly highlighted its concerns regarding Western presence in its sphere of influence. But the U.S. kept pushing. As a result, the war broke out.
War on Ukrainian Hospitals
In May 2022, allegations of Russia targeting Ukrainian hospitals surfaced. Experts called that a part of Russia’s “terror bombing campaign.” Since the war’s beginning, on average, the Kremlin has directed almost four attacks per day at Ukraine’s medical personnel and healthcare facilities.
The conflict in Kyiv has officially entered its eleventh month. Since it started, medical professionals have worked day and night to provide medical care for injured soldiers and civilians alike. The war continues.
