Life as a war medic in Ukraine

Battlefield medics and volunteers in Ukraine face challenging conditions, with off-road vans often only able to transport two severely injured individuals at a time.

Michael, a 39-year-old paramedic from northern Germany, is one of those working near the front lines in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.

“We drive to the front, pick up the wounded and then head back,” Michael says. “We have to treat them first. And then we have to drive them to the stabilization point.”

A round trip like this can take about two to three hours. The patient does not always survive – Michael, who does not want his surname published, has already seen several soldiers die.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion with massive Western support for nearly three years. After the war began, Michael sat at home in northern Germany and thought about how he could help, the paramedic tells dpa.

“Then I told myself, ‘This is what you’ve trained for half your life.'”

He went on his first mission to Ukraine in March 2023. In the past year, Michael has already completed four one-month missions, taking unpaid leave to volunteer, he says.

In the early hours of February 24, 2022, Russian forces invaded Ukraine on multiple fronts. Moscow has since annexed four territories in the east and south of Ukraine, in violation of international law.

The fighting is still mainly concentrated around the east and south.

Michael says not everyone in around him supports his decision to get involved.

“Some people think it’s foolish. They say, ‘It’s not our war,'” he says, shaking his head. However, others admire his commitment and recognizing the courage it takes to make such a choice.

In 2023, Michael first worked with a German and later a US aid organization near Kramatorsk and Pokrovsk in the Donetsk front line region.

He then began working for the Polish medical organization W Międzyczasie (In the meantime). It is a humanitarian organization that rescues wounded soldiers and civilians from the front line, often under fire, its website states.

When asked about the worst cases he witnessed on the battlefield, Michael has no quick answer. “The worst thing for us is when we have to choose who to help and who not to help,” he says after hesitating for a while.

Triage – the categorization and prioritization of patients – is the hardest part of the job. The ongoing conflict has left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians wounded since the start of the war.

Michael notes that most injuries he sees are caused by artillery and drones, often resulting in severe trauma and amputations.

The Ukrainian first lady, Olena Zelenska, recently estimated the number of Ukrainian war invalids, including amputees, at around 300,000 since the start of the Russian invasion.

At the end of November 2024, The Economist suggested the total number of wounded Ukrainians could be as high as 400,000, with 60,000 to 100,000 soldiers killed.

These figures, however, remain difficult to verify.

For Michael and his team, nationality makes no difference when providing care. “We treat everyone equally,” he says. “It’s not my job as a paramedic to decide otherwise.” This includes Russian prisoners of war – 10 or 12 of whom have already been treated under his care.

Despite the dangers, Michael says he manages to stay calm, even under fire.

“The experiences don’t haunt me when I’m at home,” he shares. However, he emphasizes the importance of talking about the trauma.

The Polish organization he works with provides access to a psychologist to help rescuers process their experiences. “That’s a very, very important resource,” he says.

Despite all the risks, he plans to return to Ukraine again this year. “I’ve made so many friends and connections,” he explains.

One day, he hopes to visit Odessa, a port city on the Black Sea in southern Ukraine, but he knows that will only be possible once the war ends.