war story
Ukraine, Kyiv, Kharkiv region - Nov 1, 2023
Surgeon Volodymyr on the frontline
Surgeon Volodymyr
on the frontline
This is about
Volodymyr Grygorovskyy
aiDescribing the situation at the front at the end of 2023, I want to tell the truth. We are very far from the victory.
aiRussia is very powerful and dangerous enemy. Russians are barbarous and there is no doubt they want to destroy our nation. Ukraine is the last fortress against their desire to restore the Russian empire and move forward.
aiWe are fighting because of the incredible motivation of thousands of Ukrainian people, Ukrainian warriors, and consolidated support from the United States, the European Union, and other countries around the world. We are benefiting from genius tactics of our military chief commanders.
aiBut we still need a lot to protect ourselves and the civilized world from this bloody-minded aggressor.
aiNow, I’ll talk more like a doctor.
aiIt’s not a secret, there is a "golden hour" that is determinative in saving a life.
aiIt’s not a secret, there is a "golden hour" that is determinative in saving a life.
There are more then 50,000 amputees in Ukraine since February 2022
aiSo the main needs of our army are military and medical education, and modern life-saving equipment. I talking about regular supplies and equipment like tourniquets, combat Bandages, evacuating transport vehicles, and "eyes" for our soldiers - drones, thermal imagers. And of course, we must have armor and ammunition.
aiA few weeks ago I participated in a battlefield trauma seminar and there was an interesting question: "Is it true that at this point Ukrainian surgeons have the greatest experience in the world in battlefield trauma treatment?" Of course, we do. Likely no-one has seen the same number of victims since the Second World War.
aiBut, do we have experience in correct and qualified surgery? Unfortunately, no. We have not even 10% of modern equipment and resources, most current research and procedures, the knowledge of doing state-of-the-art surgery. Quantity does not equal quality.
aiThere are more then 50,000 amputees in Ukraine, not only military, and one of the reasons is insufficient expertise. We need the resources the West uses to provide complex medical care in the correct way.
aiAs a doctor I appreciate having more opportunities to learn, to study from experienced American and European surgeons in Ukraine and abroad - not on how to do but on how to do correctly. You see it's the same in the army - Russia has a lot of artillery, rockets, Iranian drones, so-called famous Kalashnikov automatic rifles, but they do not stand up to the high-quality American and European military equipment, armor and ammunition, and skillful manoeuvres of our military servicemen.
