Ukrainian War Veteran Roman Kashpur is among the runners who will line up at the 20km race in Brussels on Sunday (28th May).
Roman, however, will have a distinct advantage over the rest of the participants as he suffered a serious injury in the war and was forced to amputate one of his lower limbs.
He is now able to get by on a prosthetic limb, but this hasn’t stopped him from taking part in the big charity run that takes place every year.
Yurii Kozlovskyi, a veteran who lost his right leg in the war and now uses an artificial limb to help him move around, will also be joining him.
They both appeared at a press conference held at the Brussels Press Club on Friday, to explain their determination to not let their personal pain prevent them from participating in sports. This included running the 20km.
Roman, a 27-year-old father of two, told this website: “I became a sportsman after my accident and it helped me tremendously, especially with the psychological damages.” It helped me find the true meaning of life.”
He is especially proud that he was the first veteran of the Ukraine War to run the London Marathon.
Roman, who joined the Ukraine forces for the first time as a volunteer when he was 19 years old, said: “The distance is not a full marathon but is still significant and we hope to raise the most money possible for the Foundation.”
Yurii, a 40-year-old father of a child, said: “I hope that our participation in the twenty km will send a message to others that you should not lose your spirit for living.”
“I hope that this will inspire others who are in a similar position.” This war will likely result in millions of injuries, some very serious.
A third veteran, Yurii Tsyntylevych was also present at the press club, to share his experience. In 2014, the 30-year-old suffered severe injuries as he tried to defend Luhansk Airport.
Sport has also helped him deal with the aftermath of what happened. In his case, since then he’s run two half-marathons and an online London Marathon.
He said: “It’s not just about the finish line that we all hope to reach on Sunday. We’re also here to raise money for a charity that helps veterans like us.
All three reporters told reporters that they hoped Ukraine could learn from other countries, such as the UK, which has well-established programmes for rehabilitating injured servicemen.
The proceeds from the Sunday event will be donated to the Citizen Charity Foundation which helps veterans who have been injured in war.
Yana Brovdiy is a volunteer with Promote Ukraine, and the person who initiated the visit. She said: “We owe veterans that have selflessly defended Ukraine and Europe against Russia’s war the support and assistance needed to help them transition back to civilian life.
The visit of Ukrainian Veterans to Brussels is an impressive show of support towards the welfare of Ukrainian Veterans. The involvement of Ukrainian veterans in the upcoming run and their participation in the visit will add an important voice to the discussion on veteran affairs.
The visit is part of an effort to increase awareness about the rehabilitation and well-being programmes for Ukrainian wounded defenders.
The visit is part and parcel of efforts to increase awareness about the rehabilitation and well-being programmes for Ukrainian wounded defenders.
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