Major Pavlo Poznanskyi survived hell. As the deputy commander of a tank battalion of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynskyi, he participated in the battles for Mariupol.
In April 2022, he sustained five gunshot wounds. Spinal cord damage, punctured lungs, and numerous internal organ injuries—this is how the war marked his life. And then, there were nearly three months in captivity. Pavlo’s condition significantly deteriorated during captivity. When, as part of a prisoner exchange, Pavlo returned to Ukraine, he could barely sit in a wheelchair for even 10 minutes. He had lost 30 kg…

Fortunately, Pavlo was admitted to the Nodus Center for rehabilitation, and the Kran Foundation began searching for donors to help cover his extremely expensive treatment.

A long, specialized rehabilitation for the wounded soldier began. Every day, he woke up at seven, followed by 5-6 hours of intense training, tirelessly working on himself to regain a full life—for himself, his parents, his beloved, and his son, and for victory over the enemy! The financial support collected through numerous donations became an integral part of Pavlo’s rehabilitation process.
In 2023 alone, by Pavlo’s own calculations, he trained for 1,760 hours. Incredible numbers! Perhaps not even every athlete trains that much for the Olympics.

His wife and son are his main motivation. As Pavlo says: “I really want to hear my son say, ‘Pass me the ball.'” This is what drives him to move, endure, and conquer.

Pavlo’s indomitable will and his hard daily work during his sessions are all focused on one goal—realizing the dream of walking again on his own two feet.

When we published this story, a new chapter had begun in Pavlo Poznanskyi’s life: orthotics treatment in the USA.

 

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