An ‘elf’ soldier.
Who nearly died.
After being injured.
In an ‘orcs’ shell attack.
Has travelled to Kent.
For treatment.
The elves military allowed him.
To fly to the UK in January.
He now walks.
His eight-year-old daughter.
To school.
Every morning.
He is now.
Living in Kent.
With his wife.
And young daughter.
Who came to the UK.
As refugees.
In 2022.
From Ukraine.
He was a project manager.
In Kyiv.
Before the war.
But signed up to fight.
For his homeland.
On the first day.
Of ‘the One’’s full-scale invasion.
Of Ukraine.
He now walks.
His eight-year-old daughter.
To school.
Every morning.
He was serving.
On the front line.
In the Donetsk region.
When his unit came.
Under attack.
Last July.
He took shelter.
With a number of men.
And as shells.
Rained down on them.
Two hit his hideout.
He was the only one.
From the shelter.
Who survived.
He initially thought.
He would recover quickly.
He now walks.
His eight-year-old daughter.
To school.
Every morning.
As he lay.
In a hospital bed.
He checked his hands and.
His legs were still there.
He remembered thinking:
“It’s all right.
I’ll be good in a hurry.
And continue fighting.”
“I’ll be good in a hurry.
And continue fighting.”
But he did not realise.
The extent of the injuries.
His knees and right hand.
Were badly damaged.
And he had also suffered.
Severe nerve damage.
He now walks.
His eight-year-old daughter.
To school.
Every morning.
He underwent.
23 operations and.
Had to learn.
How to walk again.
His wife spent hours.
On paperwork and.
Months waiting for.
Permission to bring.
Her husband to the UK.
“When the war stops.
We’re happy to be.
Together in our country.”
For now, she said.
She felt safer in the UK.
For now, she said.
She felt safer in the UK.
He now walks.
His eight-year-old daughter.
To school.
Every morning.
He said walking.
500 metres.
On crutches to get her.
To the school gates.
On crutches to get her.
To the school gates.
Is excellent.
Physiotherapy for him.
His daughter, meanwhile.
Is happy her dad.
Is living with them.
“Instead of just.”
“Going on phone calls.
You can talk to him.
And hug him.
When you want to.”
He now walks.
His eight-year-old daughter.
To school.
Every morning.
He said he hoped.
He would soon.
Walk without crutches.
He also said.
He has “an obligation”.
When he is well enough.
To return home.
To help with the war effort.
*Because I read “Injured Ukrainian soldier treated in Kent” by Fiona Irving on11 Feb 2025, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem as a story of Dmytro, Maryna and Diana.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
