Rebuilding human lives.
Together for the future.

Viktor Drachuk is a veteran and participant in the very first Hug for Heroes program in Sweden. His journey says more than words about strength and the will to live fully.

In spring 2023, he joined Ukraine's Armed Forces and served in the 95th Air Assault Brigade. That autumn, during combat in the Donetsk region, an FPV drone struck his position — and Viktor lost both legs. After dozens of surgeries and long rehabilitation, he didn't just return to daily life; he returned to sports: climbing, archery, wrestling, and kayaking.

During rehabilitation, Viktor met Viktoriia, an athlete and instructor. Together they completed an 18 km route at the national water tourism championships and earned the rank of candidate master of sport. Recently, their son Danylo was born. 💙💛

Today, Viktor leads the Veteran Development Center in Lviv, supporting others on their path to recovery.

Before the war, Oleksandr was a cameraman, a husband, and a father living an ordinary life. In 2014, he volunteered to defend Ukraine.

During the defense of Donetsk Airport, an enemy grenade landed among his unit. He grabbed it to protect his comrades but didn't let go in time. He lost both hands but saved four lives.

Instead of withdrawing, he dedicated himself to supporting other veterans, becoming a source of strength for those facing life after amputation.

As a civic activist and later Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, he turned personal loss into public service.

Yevhenii Muzychuk became the first veteran to pass a driving exam for people with disabilities and receive his license. His story is about breaking barriers and achieving independence.

Through determination and the support of his wife Maryna, Yevhenii shows that physical limitations are not an obstacle to reaching new goals and dreams of freedom and mobility.

Oleksandr and Alona Havryshenko are participants in the first Hug for Heroes program in Sweden.

During the defense of Mariupol in 2022, Oleksandr was seriously injured in the leg. He was captured when Russian forces took over the hospital and returned home during the first prisoner exchange in July 2022.

The couple shares how those two weeks in Sweden affected them — not just individually, but as a couple. Married for thirteen years, the program helped them see each other with new eyes and strengthened their bond after everything they endured.

Pavlo was a dental student when the full-scale invasion began. He joined the "Azov" brigade after graduation. During an evacuation mission, a drone strike tore through his leg. He held his position for 17 hours under shelling before help reached him.

For Pavlo, sports and loved ones were recovery itself. Before the war, the mountains were his passion; now, he is preparing for his first winter ascent on a prosthetic.

Today, Pavlo serves in Azov's media work and fundraising, using his voice to support those still holding the line.