Just over four months ago, Ukrainian soldier Konstantyn Moskal stepped on a landmine near the frontline. He had served in the army for six years and knew the dangers well, having grown up in the occupied Luhansk region. The explosion cost him his lower left leg and changed his life forever.
After two surgeries, Moskal was left without a clear path forward. A prosthetic limb wasn’t in sight. Recovery was physically and emotionally painful. But in mid-May, things looked different. Wearing the red and yellow jersey of FK Khrestonostsi, Moskal watched the second half of a football final from the dugout, smiling at his wife, Alina. Earlier, he had scored two goals. Now, he was about to win his first football tournament.
The match was part of Ukraine’s new “League of the Mighty,” an amputee football competition launched by the Ukrainian Football Association. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine had only 10 registered amputee footballers. Now there are 170—about 15% of Europe’s total. It’s estimated that around 50,000 Ukrainians have lost limbs because of the war.
Moskal found hope again when he saw a social media post about Khrestonostsi, a new amputee team in Lutsk. Though he had been more interested in boxing, he jumped at the chance to train. Coach Ihor Lytvynenko, a former Paralympian, picked him up personally. “This is more than a team,” Lytvynenko said. “It’s a community of people who support each other.”
Eight teams gathered for a two-day tournament near Ukraine’s national stadium. Five competed in the top “Super League,” while three—including Khrestonostsi—fought for the First League title. A full national league is expected to launch later this year.
“It’s about helping them find the will to live again,” said Bohdan Melnyk, the league’s development manager. “We never turn anyone away. If you want to play, come to training. Everyone is welcome.”
Melnyk also founded Pokrova, a team from Lviv that now plays in Poland’s amputee league. Players from all over Ukraine, including cities like Odesa and Mykolaiv, travel long distances to join. Their expenses are covered. Each player brings a personal story of service, injury, and resilience.
David, a Colombian soldier who lost a leg near Kharkiv, now plays for Pokrova’s second team. Despite language barriers, he bonds with teammates and joins in their chants. Football gives him a sense of purpose in a foreign land.
One of the league’s most inspiring stories is Andriy Mandryk. Injured by a missile strike and forced to undergo 25 surgeries, he arrived at his first training barely able to walk. Melnyk helped him take his first steps back into life by kicking a ball with his young daughter. “Now he’s the life of the team,” Melnyk said.
Mandryk, once a futsal goalkeeper and now a former army captain, shared how vital football has become. “This helps veterans so much. Without it, many might turn to drinking or worse,” he said.
The tournament included big names like Shakhtar Donetsk, represented by their amputee team Shakhtar Stalevi. One of their players, Andriy Herasymchuk, was wounded near Kherson in 2022. He now trains to become a referee. “Life is movement,” he said. “You need to move to stay alive.”
Amputee football is played on a smaller pitch with seven players on each side. The game relies heavily on upper body strength and balance. Players use specialized crutches to move and pass the ball. Despite their injuries, the players show impressive skill and teamwork. In one match, a stunning goal brought the crowd to its feet—only to be interrupted by an air raid siren, a reminder of the ongoing war.
Injuries and pain are common. Players don’t wear prosthetics during games, so any hit to their residual limbs can be intense. Moskal, still dealing with pain from training, needed freezing spray to finish his opening match. His teammate Vova fell hard during the game, prompting an emotional reaction from his wife in the stands.
The tournament was professionally run, complete with video review (VAR) to check penalty decisions. While no one wanted the country to need this kind of infrastructure, the amputee football system now being built is serious, inclusive, and growing. Women have started to join, with several playing for the Kyiv team Burevi.
In the final, Moskal returned briefly before Khrestonostsi sealed a 3-0 victory over Nezlamni, a team from Kharkiv and Dnipro. Coach Lytvynenko was moved to tears. “We’d never played on real grass before,” he said. “This is all new for us.”
Afterward, Khrestonostsi watched Pokrova win the Super League title. The crowd stood to sing the national anthem. When the whistle blew, flares lit up the night. For many players, it was a powerful mix of grief, pride, and hope.
Moskal, smiling shyly on the winners’ podium, lifted his team’s flag and kissed his medal before handing it to Alina. Soon, they’ll move to Lutsk together and begin planning a new life.
“I need to recover first,” Moskal said. “But it’s good to feel alive. We’re celebrating today because others are still out there, fighting for us.” Like everyone in the league, he carries both the pain and promise of a life forever changed.
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