{"id":100,"date":"2022-06-27T12:52:53","date_gmt":"2022-06-27T10:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/geldvoorhelden.be\/?page_id=100"},"modified":"2023-05-18T16:21:28","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T14:21:28","slug":"over-boris","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/geldvoorhelden.be\/en_gb\/boris\/over-boris\/","title":{"rendered":"Over Boris"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/span>\"\"
\n

<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

From Boris<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
DIRECT LINK TO DONATIONS PAGE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

After a 10 year career I left the Belgian Army in 2018 and started working in the private sector. In early 2022 I was building my own company when following the renewed Russian invasion of Ukraine at the end of February Ukrainian President Zelensky called for foreigners to join the Ukrainian International Legion. Having ended my active military career just 4 years earlier I still possessed the skills and knowledge of NATO weaponry direly needed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Being deeply disturbed by Putin\u2019s unopposed expansionism and convinced that if Russia is not thoroughly defeated in Ukraine more attacks will follow, not only by Russia but also other actors worldwide, I decided to answer this call to arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Picture taken next to an abandoned Russian outpost in liberated territory. Most likely late April.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After getting my affairs and papers in order I made my way to Ukraine, arriving at Yavoriv Military Base on the 13th of March 2022 at around 0400. At 0600 this base was the subject of a heavy missile strike, plunging the whole organisation of the International Legion into chaos\u2026 I stuck it out, assisted where I could and after a time of preparation was deployed to the front lines. The challenges were and are great. There were permanent deficits in equipment and vehicles. Many things that we in our NATO armies consider vital were hard or even impossible to obtain. We heavily relied on donations and the work of volunteers for certain supplies. However it was war, and we made due.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a war the like of which has not been seen in the world in a very long time. Relentless destruction, not only on the front lines where drones and artillery are always present but also missile strikes deep into the country. The military value of these strikes is often quite questionable or plain non existent. The villages near the front lines are largely abandoned, mainly the poor and the elderly remain. The poor sticking to what little earthly possessions they have, being poor in an already poor country, the elderly being unable or unwilling to leave the ground where they had lived their whole lives. Both were hoping things would go by quick and quiet but both got caught in the crossfire to often. The relief and happiness amongst the population in the liberated villages is something I will never forget. Although our first meetings with these people always ends a little sour when we had to explain that although we ourselves were foreigners NATO forces had not come to aid the Ukrainians and we were just a rag-tag of international volunteers having come independently from all over the world (an action which opened up a good deal of us to prosecution in our home countries).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For 3 months I assisted in combat operations until at the end of May the vehicle I was in drove over a mine resulting in the amputation of the left leg above the knee and the right leg halfway the shin. The rest of my body escaped intact, retaining full mobility of my torso and arms, undiminished vision and no brain damage. Some minor flesh wounds and minor internal damage have since healed. The hearing loss I suffered will most likely be permanent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Picture taken shortly after the mine blast. I was seated on the front left passenger seat (this is a British vehicle).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After initial medical care in Ukraine I was, with some difficulties, evacuated to Poland where they had to amputate my second knee as well. A few days later I took a commercial flight home and have since been treated in the University Hospital of Ghent, one of the best lower limb amputee rehabilitation centers available in Belgium. Several more surgeries and a lot of time were needed to clean up the wounds, clear out the infections and allow the stumps to heal. In October they were sufficiently healed to start with prosthetics and we have made great progress since, as you can see below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
June 2022<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
November 2022<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
February 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We are appoaching the end of the rehabilitation process and it is now clear that my medical and physical situation will allow me to regain substantial mobility and quality of life with the proper tools. The end of the rehab also means I need to buy my own prosthetics to replace the trial porsthetics I am currently using. And, as all things in the medical field, they are very expensive. The medical bills and the lack of income over the past year have largely drained my savings and I am not able to overcome the costs I am currently facing on my own:<\/p>\n\n\n\n