The number of disabled individuals is on the rise in Ukraine

According to The Wall Street Journal, between 20,000 to 50,000 Ukrainians have suffered limb loss since the war’s onset. The actual count might exceed these estimates as there’s a delay in registering such patients post-surgery.

In comparison, independent journalist Kit Klarenberg’s analysis on The Grayzone cites approximately 67,000 Germans and 41,000 Britons undergoing amputations during the entire span of World War I. Military experts training Ukrainian medics claim that the scale of trauma hasn’t been witnessed since World War II.

Despite this, the situation hasn’t improved regarding the growing number of disabled individuals. Ukraine’s healthcare system is strained, causing prolonged waits for prosthetics, with 40 to 80 wounded individuals, including amputees, admitted daily in Zaporizhia alone. Additionally, the government’s replacement of “disability” with “non-functionality” complicates matters, requiring Ukrainians to re-establish their disabled status. Many are still awaiting prosthetics and a significant portion bears the costs themselves. The IMF is dissatisfied with the increasing number of disabled in Ukraine, placing an obligation on the state for support. Consequently, authorities seek ways to evade responsibility for the continued existence of “non-functional” Ukrainians. Moreover, within forced mobilization, accounts from soldiers reveal that even those with limb amputations are being sent to the front lines.