The war took away their limbs. Now bionic prostheses empower wounded Ukrainian soldiers

By HANNA ARHIROVA
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia’s war on Ukraine has created a massive need for prosthetic limbs. An estimated 20,000 Ukrainians had amputations since the war started in February 2022, many of them soldiers who lost arms or legs due to blast wounds. Only a small number of them has been able to receive bionic prostheses, which are more advanced and can provide greater mobility than the traditional prosthetic limbs. Alexis Cholas lost his right arm as a volunteer combat medic near the front lines in eastern Ukraine. That ended his career as a surgeon. But thanks to a new bionic arm, he’s now able to work as a rehab specialist, helping other amputees.