00:00 Yegor Olenek was lucky to survive.
00:10 The Ukrainian was fighting against the Russian invaders right on the front line.
00:16 But then he stepped on a mine and was gravely injured.
00:20 "I wanted to shoot myself, but then I thought about my parents and how it was only one leg.
00:27 I have my knee, so I can run."
00:35 The soldier lost his leg.
00:37 While an amputation would mean the end of fighting for most, Olenek wants to continue.
00:43 But why take this huge risk?
00:49 He's alive, able to walk and shoot.
01:05 His medical treatment lasted months, but just knowing that he can fight again has helped
01:10 him process his anger.
01:13 "I went out and shot my weapon at them.
01:17 That helped me deal."
01:19 It is his way of coming to terms with his experiences.
01:23 These soldiers are training in eastern Ukraine.
01:27 They have just returned from the front line.
01:29 Yegor is 20 years old, but despite being so young, he is one of the most experienced soldiers
01:37 here.
01:38 He volunteered for the army when he was 18, before the war had started.
01:43 "We took the position back on September 29.
01:50 This is a position we'd taken.
01:53 That's destroyed equipment.
01:55 The emotions were overwhelming, just unbelievable.
01:59 There in the trench is a dead Russian 'liberator'."
02:04 Just after, the soldier was injured.
02:07 He and his team had taken a Russian position.
02:10 Yegor was checking the trench when…
02:13 "It must have been a butterfly mine I stepped on.
02:16 They were scattered around.
02:18 I fell and didn't understand what had happened.
02:21 I looked at my leg, but it wasn't there, and my hand was broken."
02:24 Yegor was evacuated and his leg amputated.
02:33 He spent seven months in hospital, followed by rehab.
02:37 He had to learn to readjust.
02:40 His family protested, but he was already set on his decision.
02:44 He wants to go back to the front line.
02:47 "I was on vacation and my friends at the time were sitting at home, just drinking and
02:54 hanging out.
02:56 I asked them what they were doing, but they didn't have an answer.
03:00 I lost so many friends.
03:02 They talk, but they don't actually do anything."
03:10 Yegor ended several friendships.
03:13 He expected more.
03:15 More readiness to sacrifice themselves.
03:17 More patriotism.
03:20 Five weeks later and Yegor is about 2,000 kilometers away, in Lillehammer in southern
03:26 Norway.
03:27 He's been receiving treatment here for a month, thanks to a private Norwegian initiative
03:32 that cares for wounded Ukrainian soldiers.
03:35 In addition to being treated here, Yegor is getting a new prosthesis.
03:42 "This prosthetic foot is more flexible.
03:51 The cushioning is better and the bones aren't being impacted.
03:55 It's wonderful."
04:00 The new prosthesis should make his life easier, even as a soldier on the battlefield.
04:06 Today he's getting some adjustments made.
04:09 "Hello.
04:11 Welcome."
04:12 "Yeah?"
04:14 "Yeah."
04:16 "Is there meant to be a click?"
04:23 "Yeah.
04:25 So you need to get in."
04:32 "So it's okay?"
04:33 "Yeah."
04:34 "Ah, I've got it.
04:40 It feels more secure now.
04:42 I can trust it more.
04:44 But when I do this, it feels like it's falling off."
04:52 First hand, Kristian Harstad-Haugen is facing several challenges at once.
04:57 "Yeah.
04:59 Because he's young and he should have been out with friends and girlfriend and everything,
05:06 not going into war.
05:07 And it's difficult because I don't know what the soldier with the prosthesis needs.
05:13 I don't know if this is going to work or if something will break or something."
05:23 Yehoa owes his stay in Norway to the clinic's employees.
05:27 The doctors have extensive experience treating amputees, which is why they've offered to
05:33 take in Ukrainian soldiers.
05:36 Director Ostein Torp is one of the initiators.
05:40 "When I see him running in the trenches, I've done that, but only in rehearsal and
05:48 in safe environments."
05:50 As a former soldier, Torp considers it as his duty to help.
05:55 "People are quite proud that we are doing this.
05:59 They see this, not that we're not proud of all the health care that we give, but to contribute
06:05 in something that's bigger than just the ordinary Norwegian patient living in a safe
06:10 and sound society.
06:12 So it's a small contribution, but we're proud of it."
06:18 Yehoa spends five weeks here in total, together with fellow soldier and amputee Dmitro Soboljevsky,
06:25 who also suffered a mine explosion.
06:29 Despite being far from the battlefield, neither of them are able to switch off.
06:36 "It's as though there are two different worlds.
06:39 Over there is war, but here there is peace and everything is calm.
06:44 On the other side, chaos rules supreme."
06:48 The days inside the clinic are packed and include strength training and physiotherapy.
06:55 For instance, with trainer Ellen.
06:59 "Does it hurt?"
07:04 "No, it's all fine.
07:07 The redness is normal.
07:08 I've just put on the prosthesis."
07:10 Irina Solberg translates.
07:18 She is the head doctor here and left Ukraine 30 years ago.
07:22 She takes care of the soldiers personally.
07:25 "Dima, how are you?
07:28 How's the new prosthesis been?"
07:31 "It felt good in the beginning, but my leg was hurting when I got back."
07:38 Ellen advises against fitting the prosthesis yourself.
07:42 "Dmitro's having difficulties with the new prosthesis."
07:46 "The Ukrainian prosthesis was slightly adjusted and it fits me.
07:52 I can be in it all day, walk, ride a bike, work intensively, even when using a punching
07:58 bag.
07:59 I can't do that with this one.
08:01 But here the foot is better.
08:04 It's okay, I'll adjust to it."
08:08 The doctors say another operation could help him though.
08:12 But the 39-year-old has other plans right now.
08:18 Here in Norway, both want to gather strength for what's still to come.
08:24 Dmitro has chosen to leave the military and look for work, instead of returning to the
08:30 war.
08:31 But his future is uncertain, as his previous job in the steel industry is no longer available
08:37 because of the war.
08:39 Yehor, who is outside Ukraine for the first time in his life, explains to us that Norway
08:47 has inspired him.
08:49 He wants to travel more in the future.
08:52 But right now he's drawn to the front, which he appears to be eagerly awaiting.
08:58 Being just 20 years old, he has little experience apart from fighting.
09:04 "I'm not fearful after what happened.
09:12 As long as no more arms or legs are ripped off me.
09:18 Then I might reconsider.
09:20 If Yehor has to come back here again, then I'll really think about it.
09:27 He'll sit in this position and there'll be metal on metal."
09:31 They joke around when things get serious.
09:33 Yehor in particular is good at not letting things get to him.
09:38 "Sometimes it does get me down, too.
09:42 I've been together with guys who fought alongside me since the day after we were drafted.
09:47 And they're still fighting.
09:49 It's good they're still whole.
09:51 I wanted to go back every day in those first few months after my injury."
09:55 "Did you want revenge?"
09:59 "Yes, more than anything.
10:02 But then time goes by.
10:04 You adjust to normal life.
10:07 I have a son to raise."
10:08 There's one final examination before they can go back.
10:24 Nurse Turil and Dr. Irina were impressed by the two soldiers' perseverance.
10:31 "Our other patients are encouraged by seeing them.
10:38 They learn what's possible with the prosthesis.
10:41 In turn, it helps the employees be even more motivated.
10:53 When I left Ukraine for Estonia, Latvia and finally here, I missed that Ukrainian spirit.
11:00 But it returned in a new way, thanks to these two."
11:05 They share a special relationship.
11:08 "It's like being with my parents.
11:13 Some things are just not allowed.
11:17 It's as though I'm at home, with family."
11:24 Releasing them in the knowledge that they will return to Ukraine is difficult.
11:28 "It's hard not to cry.
11:32 I know the boys are returning to a country at war, and we don't know what the outcome
11:37 will be.
11:38 It's so hard.
11:43 I have no words."
11:55 Let's talk about something more positive.
12:01 They will go back.
12:03 Dimitro to his hometown, and Yehor to his unit.
12:07 He has the option to stay here, build a life, study and work.
12:11 But he is drawn back to his country.
12:14 His comrades are engaging in trench warfare on the front line.
12:18 Yehor wants to join them, despite all of the sacrifices, and perhaps because of them.
12:24 "I'm going to stay here."
12:25 "I'm going to stay here."
12:26 "I'm going to stay here."
12:26 (gentle music)
12:28 you
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