Amputee rate in Ukraine rises to level akin to WWI

Since the start of the Russo-Ukranian War, the number of people in need of amputations in Ukraine has spiked to levels that haven't been seen since World War I, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The rise in injuries requiring amputation reflects "how Russia wages the war, with heavy use of mines and artillery, missile and drone attacks targeting soldiers and civilians alike," the Journal noted.

Russia's use of heavy artillery and the "deployment of multi-layered mines on the 600-mile front line in eastern and southern Ukraine" has led to a sharp increase in serious injuries, the Journal added. The outlet estimated that between 20,000 and 50,000 Ukrainians have lost a limb or two since the beginning of the war 17 months ago. This data came from previously unreleased estimates from prosthetics firms, doctors, and charities. The number could be higher than estimated, as many amputations aren't reported until months after the procedure.

"My grandfather founded our company in 1919 to help…German soldiers returning from World War I wounded by artillery fire, who lost their arms, legs or eyesight—this is exactly what we see in Ukraine," Hans Georg Näder, chairman of German prosthetics manufacturer Ottobock, told the Journal. Ottobock, the world's largest prosthetics manufacturer, is helping Ukraine with amputees. The outlet added that about 41,000 Britons and 67,000 Germans required amputations during World War I.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Before the war, Ukraine had a few thousand amputations yearly, but now hospitals and doctors are overwhelmed, with few expert staff to keep up with the influx. The Journal also pointed out that while military personnel who need amputations receive $20,000 in government funds to get prostheses, many civilians struggle to pay without help from charities. Dr. Kostyantyn Mylytsya, who focused on cosmetic surgery before the war, runs a clinic that treats and rehabilitates amputees. Clinics like his are needed "in every town across Ukraine; they must be as common as dentists," he told the Journal.