News
Ukraine war
March 25, 2023 | 5:22 p.m
Ukrainians have turned an abandoned building into a front-line hospital.
Asami Trajima/Kyiv Independent
An abandoned building about 20 minutes outside the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut has been converted into a frontline hospital to treat soldiers injured in the months-long battle.
Nearly all casualties among Ukrainian soldiers, about 90 percent, came from shrapnel wounds, a 42-year-old combat medic identified only as Dmytro. Kyiv Independent.
Dmytro said that four out of five percent of the injuries were caused by gunshot wounds and that “a lot” of the concussions were dealt with.
The combat medic said that every day in the eight-month battle for the key city of Bakhmut was “unpredictable,” but usually between 30 and 45 wounded soldiers arrived each day.
The makeshift hospital is staffed by a group of 20 doctors, many of whom have not left the basement of the abandoned building where they have been treating wounded soldiers for more than a month.
“We keep going, and then, well, I cry,” said another paramedic named Sarhi.
Al-Sarhi added that he is doing his best to be honest with the arriving soldiers, no matter how severe their injuries.
He said, “I’m not used to deceiving people, and I’m telling the truth.” “Maybe I don’t say everything, but I try to be real, and if a person needs surgery, I say, ‘You need surgery.'” “If (the patient’s) condition is difficult, I tell them.”
The Battle of Bakhmut is now halted after a Russian Wagner mercenary force claimed earlier this month to have surrounded the city.
However, Ukraine continued to control the city despite suffering between 100-200 casualties per day, The Guardian reported.
“Incurable bacon nerd. Lifelong tv aficionado. Writer. Award-winning explorer. Evil web buff. Amateur pop culture ninja.”