Despite losing a leg in the war, MYKHAILO TARASENKO remains determined to chase his dreams. With the help of a prosthetic, he even conquered Mount Hoverla. He emphasizes that veteran sports programs play a crucial role in guiding veterans toward successful reintegration into society.
About Himself. Right before the full-scale war began, I was working as a courier and planning to study software testing. Before that, I spent a significant amount of time as a sales representative for the largest distributor in the tea and coffee industry. However, I felt I had no further opportunities for growth in that field.
I wanted to learn new skills, focus on sports like powerlifting for my personal fitness, and dedicate time to self-development.
Unfortunately, before the full-scale war, I had no interest in politics. I spoke Russian and had an indifferent “what’s the difference” mindset. The war changed everything completely. Suddenly, everything became important and meaningful. My worldview shifted, and I truly understood who our neighbors are.
About the military service. In January 2023, I made the decision to enlist in the military. Initially, I supported the armed forces in other ways, thinking my direct involvement wouldn’t be necessary. But over time, I realized that the best way I could help was to enlist in the Defense Forces myself.
In peacetime, I had been exempt from military service. When I approached the doctor to enlist, he told me, “You have a chronic illness.” I replied, “That’s taken care of now.” The doctor said, “Then you’re off to the DShV.” I asked, “Great! And what’s the DShV?” That’s how I learned about the DShV (Air Assault Forces). I served as a sapper in the airborne assault troops.
Being a sapper is terrifying. But to be honest, everything about war is terrifying. War itself is terrifying. But you have to learn. I was sent to the UK, where they determined I would train as a sapper.
In the summer of 2023, I was wounded. We were working on demining operations near Robotyne. The situation there was incredibly intense and complicated, but we had a mission, and we carried it out to the best of our abilities.
About accepting the injury. Right after the explosion, my first reaction was to check on my comrades—they were unharmed. Following the initial amputation I surprisingly felt relieved. Why? Because it was only one leg. My arms were intact, my vision was fine, and my comrades were alive.
I’ve never let despair overwhelm me. I understood that my leg wouldn’t grow back. I even joked about it with my two cats, Tarasenko Lime Oksanovych and Tarasenko Iryna Oksanivna, who would lie on my leg as if trying to help it grow back. But even their efforts didn’t work.
How the war changed me. I’ve become much calmer about everyday things that used to stress me out. I ask myself, why get upset over small things?
Interestingly, I’ve completely lost interest in learning programming, which used to be a goal of mine. Instead, I want to become an adaptive fitness trainer. I’m currently studying and building a path in this direction.
About motivation and being an example for others. When I commit to something, I fully dedicate myself to it. If I decide to climb Hoverla with a prosthetic leg, I’ll make it happen. I’ve always admired mountain climbing, but when you have an above-the-knee amputation, the experience is different—you end up crawling in some places. On the way down, the slope was so steep that I had to hop on my prosthetic. My wife was worried, but she didn’t say anything. She’s always there for me, offering her support without fail. I can’t really know what she’s going through inside, but her support is constant.
I’ve always been someone who loves action and movement, and that only grew stronger after my injury. Honestly, if an asteroid had struck the Russian territory during my recovery and ended the war, I would’ve gone back to my civilian life. But since that didn’t happen, I want to set an example and remain actively involved in various initiatives.
Just a few days after my surgery, I saw a post on social media about someone who climbed Hoverla with a prosthetic. At the time, I wasn’t sure what the future held, but I thought to myself, “I want to do that too.”
After the climb, my wife shared a video of our journey, and soon we started receiving messages from other wives of injured soldiers. They asked how we managed the climb, and many said their husbands were inspired. I believe that even inspiring just a couple of people made the whole experience worthwhile.
About inspiration for myself. A great source of inspiration for me has been my close friend, Roman. He sustained a very serious injury in 2022, with a bullet in his lungs, over 30 shrapnel pieces, a shattered hip joint, and damage to his intestines. He spent a long time recovering, and when I was transferred to a hospital in Rivne in 2024, he was still there.
Roman shared that after his injury, he was initially alone in the hospital. Over time, he decided to study social work, and he made it a point to visit new patients, offering them support and guidance.
I didn’t know the importance of getting on a prosthetic leg right away, but Roman advised me just one day after surgery to avoid getting too comfortable in a wheelchair and to get on crutches as soon as possible. He motivated me by saying that if you’re in a wheelchair, you go out to smoke, and you miss your coffee, but when you’re on crutches, you can still make coffee. Roman was a huge inspiration for me. I also decided to start studying to become a social worker. Now I communicate with others, helping them understand things like phantom pains—they don’t last forever. I know what they feel like, how they can’t sleep because of them, and I can explain how to cope.
Being surrounded by people who truly understand what I’m going through is important to me. I honestly can’t picture myself in a completely civilian environment anymore.
On Gratitude. For me, a simple smile or a nod of the head is enough. Sometimes, just placing a hand over the heart shows appreciation. I usually respond with a nod. There’s no need for grand gestures like grabbing someone’s hand or feet. Honestly, I don’t really understand why people thank me – I was simply doing my job. When I decided to join the army, I had two thoughts in mind: “You’re not a hero, you’re just doing what’s expected,” and “At any moment, you could come back in a body bag or a wheelchair.” These thoughts helped me stay grounded. I generally say that defending my country is my duty, but among friends, I jokingly add that I joined to make sure at least one enemy would pay, so my life wouldn’t be wasted.
On the Invictus Games. I really wanted to be part of the veteran community, and the Invictus Games came into my life at a time when I was thinking about helping injured soldiers. Through the Games, I’ve been able to connect with more people – veterans, service members – who can see what we are achieving. Of course, raising the Ukrainian flag abroad is important, but I’m not doing this for myself; I’m here to motivate others. If you look at our team, most of us are already stable – if we weren’t, we wouldn’t be here. We’ve been through a lot, and that’s why it’s so important for us to motivate others. Here, we become one united force, and that’s important too.
Translated by Green Forest English School