Why can’t the war be won with drones alone, and what role do assault units play in modern warfare? How…
Artem Hordiienko is 30 years old. He is from Donetsk region. In civilian life, he worked as a fitter at the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant and loved football.
But already on February 26, 2022, he joined the Territorial Defense Forces — taking up arms to defend his native Donetsk region.
In the winter of 2024, on the battlefield, he lost both arms. He survived two clinical deaths. Doctors say he was “lucky” — in a worse scenario Artem could have also lost a leg and an eye. Medics note: the patient fought very hard for his life.
During rehabilitation and prosthetics, Artem met a young woman. 28-year-old Anna works in the Post-Acute and Long-Term Rehabilitation Department of the Main Military Clinical Hospital. As she playfully says: “I was the first one to set my eyes on Artem”. He admits: after the injury, he couldn’t understand for a long time where and how to move forward. But Anna’s initiative played its role.
On April 23, 2025, Artem proposed to Anna. On June 7, the couple got married.
ArmyInform spoke with the couple: about war, combat missions, emotions, rehabilitation, prosthetics. Below is their direct speech and dialogue.
2023: Clearing Vodiane — first experience as an assault soldier
Artem recounts how he joined the Defense Forces:
“In 2022, I was working at the coke plant. When the full-scale invasion began, I received a call from the Territorial Recruitment Center — and already on February 26, 2022, I joined the Territorial Defense Forces — the 109th Mariupol Brigade. I had prior conscript service behind me.
Our unit constantly held the defense in our native Donetsk region: Avdiivka, New York, Stepove, Vodiane, Tonenke… Many locals were in our unit, and our advantage was perfect knowledge of the terrain: every path, every wolf trail of our native Donbas.
My first experience as an assault soldier came in 2023, when we were clearing Vodiane, near Donetsk Airport. There were many losses and wounded — against the Ukrainian Territorial Defense unit stood trained Russian military. The distance to the enemy was only 40 meters. A trench line split the village in half: one side was held by the Defense Forces, the other — by the enemy.
The first days were very hard, because the enemy knew everything about us. And this was our baptism of fire, since before that we had been only at checkpoints. According to the plan, our combat mission was supposed to last three days — but it turned into a month…
By January 2024, Avdiivka was semi-encircled, the situation was difficult… We were attached to the 3rd Assault Brigade — holding positions in the Stepove area, which was very tough. The enemy tried to close the encirclement, and we repelled their attacks daily.
At the same time, we cooperated with the 47th Brigade. It was very reassuring to work with them: they had aerial reconnaissance, logistics, I was covered by a Mavic drone when leading a group into a village that practically no longer existed.
I remember everything was snowy then. I was the group leader. The situation was critical. But we survived. Though the intensity was serious”.
“In a split second I had to decide: either my head gets blown off, or my hands”
“In March we had a new mission, in the Klyban-Byk area. We set off at night to the first line. I had a very bad feeling, I personally didn’t want to go there, intuition was signaling something — and I ignored it, I must admit…
When it began to dawn — finally, we received the order to advance. It was already 6 a.m.
So we moved to the ‘Titan’ position in the Tonenke area. As soon as we dismounted from the armored vehicle and the driver left — a mine immediately struck.
What did we see ahead of us? Field, ravine, reeds; behind us — a tree line; ahead — a hill with bastards sitting on it. But we started digging in right in the middle of the field. Though, analyzing those events later, I realize we should have gone into the tree line.
We just began digging in the middle of the field, setting up a new position to hold part of the breakthrough. We knew we had to repel the attack and try to take on the role of assault troops and move a little forward.
A bullet whistled right past one of our brothers-in-arms’ ears — and we realized the Russians were controlling this area from above… And then it began: mortars, drones, all the carousel of enemy weapons. An FPV drone came in — but a comrade immediately shot it down.
After that, a Mavic flew in — at that moment I was digging, didn’t see it… I rolled onto my back — and saw a drop coming right at my face. That’s it. In a split second I had to decide: either my ‘cabin’ gets blown off, my head — or my hands. I chose to risk with my hands… I covered my face with them. Explosion. Numbness. Concussion. I opened my eyes — and saw my wrists hanging by the skin. That’s it. They were blown off.
A comrade rushed over, lay on top of me, applied tourniquets, injected painkillers — and again a drone flew in. And I was already furious, with my hands torn apart! Another drop. I turned sideways — and that second drop hit my leg, tearing off a chunk of flesh. Now I have no part of my thigh, the leg doesn’t function fully yet. But they managed to save the limb — though it could have been amputated. And my eye was also pierced — the guys covered it with a hat, thinking there was no eye left…
And a third Mavic flew in. My comrade ‘Simon’ diverted it to himself, since the UAV was targeting me directly. He got wounded in the leg and literally saved me — because that whole drone carousel was meant for me.”
28 hours waiting for evacuation, two clinical deaths, loss of two liters of blood
“They started dragging me into the tree line, where some dugouts were already made. In that tree line we spent the night — under shelling, damp, and cold, it was March… I was conscious for some time, but my brothers-in-arms were afraid to inject me with too many painkillers — in case my heart stopped. Tourniquets were only on my arms. If they had put one on my leg as well — amputation of the leg would have been guaranteed.
Everyone in our group was wounded — but all survived. I had a peculiar situation: two clinical deaths, my heart stopped twice, and I was already being declared ‘Cargo 200.’ The first time — when they placed me in the pickup; the second — when they brought me to the stabilization point.
My comrades told me that during the night in that tree line, ‘Grads’ and aerial drops were striking us — and I just stayed silent. The guys covered me with some old fur coat… I had already resigned myself to death and didn’t expect evacuation. The only thing I asked my brothers-in-arms: not to let the Russians reach the tree line, so they wouldn’t abuse me if it came to that.
Why the high amputation if only my wrists were blown off? Tourniquet syndrome, I had a severed artery in my right arm… Plus, there was a risk of sepsis. Later, I noticed my blood color was changing: first it was dark red, then it turned bright scarlet. That’s how I realized the artery was damaged. When the tourniquet was tightened — the blood began to spurt even more intensely…
The 53rd Brigade evacuated us. When they arrived at our tree line, they asked where the severely wounded were. They were pointed in my direction — they went there and came back, saying there was no severely wounded, only a ‘Cargo 200.’ I was loaded into the pickup as a dead man. The vehicle drove fast, fleeing from FPVs, and I was being shaken hard. According to medics, this may have been the reason for my heart ‘restarting.’ Because when one of the soldiers came to check whether I had fallen out of the pickup — they discovered that the ‘two-hundredth’ was breathing. And he had to be saved.
When they brought me to the stabilization point and laid me on a stretcher — my pulse was gone again. I regained consciousness already in Mechnikov Hospital. My comrade jokingly said: ‘When he finally recovers — I’ll finish him off myself! (laughs). I was covering him with a coat, taking care of him in that tree line — and he decided to die on me! Gave me nerves! (laughs even harder)’”.
“Few such people are admitted to us. You definitely want to live”
“When I regained consciousness in Mechnikov, the first person I saw was my platoon commander. And my very first thought: ‘What am I even doing here?’ Later, the doctors explained to me that I was incredibly lucky: I could have ended up with no arms, no leg, no eye. They told me directly: ‘We don’t understand how you survived. Few such people are admitted to us. But you definitely want to live — you are fighting for life.’
Then came traumatology… I also had kidney problems — blood loss, lying for 28 hours on damp soil… Chances of kidney recovery were minimal. If the kidneys had failed — the outcome was obvious… So the number one task was saving the kidneys. Strict diet.
Then there was the Post-Acute and Long-Term Rehabilitation Department — different people, a different environment. In the ward I was with Roman — he also lost both limbs. We became friends. Until then I was moving in a wheelchair, but it was exactly this department that put me back on my feet in about a week.
And it was in this very department that I met the ward nurse, Anna.”
The windowsill of discord and unity
Anna continues the story about the situation with the windowsill cleaning. At first, that windowsill was the “windowsill of discord.” But later it turned out to become the “windowsill of unity.”
Anna recalls:
— An inspection was supposed to come. And patients really love to put treats (cookies, candies) on the windowsill. And this was the case in every ward! But by the time of the inspection, everything had to be in order, including the windowsills. I would rush into the wards and order everyone to quickly clear everything off the windowsills. If they didn’t — I threatened to throw everything away. Those who couldn’t do it themselves — I advised them to ask for help. I said this to everyone and never intended to offend Artem personally.
But a few minutes later my colleagues came to me and asked what I had said to Artem, because he was completely furious, saying that I had nearly driven him into hysterics…
I felt so hurt, because I would never in my life say anything like that to him… I burst into tears. And I asked our psychologist for permission to go and apologize. She advised me to talk to him. So, I approached Artem — and he was sitting there, his face red with anger. I apologized. I said that my request was not directed at him specifically but at everyone. I explained that I had asked them to clear the windowsills 300 times — and on the 301st, my nerves just gave way… That’s how we ended up talking, joking, and laughing.
— But I was really angry before that, — Artem adds. — We had just one refrigerator for the whole floor — where was I supposed to put everything?! And the volunteers kept bringing more and more — how was that my fault?!
“I’ve come up with something. You’ll appreciate it”
On April 23, 2025, Artem proposed to Anna — but before that, they had an argument.
“We quarreled very badly. I even told him directly: I won’t come to you anymore”, – Anna recalls. – But on April 21, it was my birthday, and he called me and asked if I would come (because he was in another ward). And he said: ‘We need to talk. I’ve come up with something. I think it’s fine. You’ll appreciate it.’ I will remember those words for the rest of my life (laughs). I came, and we went outside for some fresh air… We grabbed some coffee, and he stood there just looking at me. And I looked at him. He said: shall we sit down? So we sat… Then I asked him to finally say something… And he said: ‘I want you to be my wife.’ I was very confused…”
— Yes, that’s how it was, — Artem adds, laughing. — At first, in the hospital, I didn’t really talk to anyone, only sometimes with the guys.
— Yes, I was the first one to notice him, — Anna says playfully.
— I didn’t even think about a relationship at first — it just wasn’t the time. But Anna kept coming often… And then I started noticing things myself. Plus, her colleagues often mentioned her to me. But I was categorical: don’t try to set me up! But with time, I saw how she helped me with everything, how she showed her care… That I wasn’t indifferent to her. Still, I wasn’t ready. I explained this to Anna too: I wanted to finish rehabilitation, gather my thoughts, understand what was happening in my life… But when I went abroad for prosthetics — Anna missed me very much.
— He left on July 26 and came back on December 3. He would call once a month, saying that he’d probably be delayed again… And then one day, at 4:19 in the morning, I got a call: ‘Hi, how are you? I’ll be in Kyiv in an hour.’ Well, I already had stuffed cabbage rolls and borscht ready! I told both Artem and his brothers-in-arms: if you ever need help with housing — please, my home is your home…
— And when I drove up to the building, Anna rushed to hug me so hard that she almost pulled me out of the car together with the door. Her eyes were glowing. And in the spring of 2025, I realized it was time to get serious; time to grow up. That’s how I proposed. On June 7, 2025, we got married.
Prosthetics and new skills
I didn’t get my prosthetics through a government program. I worked with the Protez Foundation prosthetic center. We launched a fundraiser for prosthetics: $80,000 for bionic arms. We collected it in about three months — and then there was a trip to the U.S. for almost half a year.
Everything was easier with my left hand. With my right hand, though, to insert it into the socket, you have to press with your own weight to secure the prosthesis — it was painful and unpleasant. For some time, I even did many things with my left hand — even though I’m right-handed. During rehabilitation, I even started drawing a lot with my left hand (smiles) — I had never drawn so beautifully with my right! And now I can even sign with my foot…
But now it’s the opposite: I can’t use my left hand properly. I need an ultrasound, and if necessary — surgery. Otherwise, I won’t be able to wear prosthetics. My arms hurt now, which is unpleasant. Plus, another six months of treatment. When everything heals after surgery, I will need massages, exercises, different stimulations, and to shape the stump.
Once everything heals and is okay, I can try putting on the prosthesis and learning to use them again, because right now the muscles have already forgotten… Moreover, the doctors say that even if I didn’t want it, the pain will never fully disappear; neuromas (benign tumors or pathological growth of nerve tissue, often occurring after injuries such as amputation — editor’s note) will still grow, because signals are sent even despite the amputated limb…
“We live on hopes — but want them to become reality”
Currently in Kyiv, the “House of Heroes” project is beginning to be implemented: they want to purchase two adaptive two-room apartments in Kyiv for Artem and Roman, about whom we have already written.
The housing must be adapted for people with high-level amputations of both arms, as veterans with such injuries become dependent on outside help. One room will house the veteran, and the other — the person assisting with daily life, for example, helping to put on prosthetics.
Artem is an expert consultant during the implementation of this project.
— We met with all the initiators and coordinators, talked, explained how we see everything, shared our experience… We live on hopes — but we want those hopes to become reality. And there are many wounded. Many servicemen want their own housing. Many need help. It’s millions, — Artem emphasizes.
— How do you maintain mental health during a severe injury? Distract yourself. Communicate more often with your brothers-in-arms — it really helps relieve stress. Once, we met with friends, went to McDonald’s — one helps eat the burger, another hands over the soda to sip.
It’s important to have a reliable person nearby. I am very grateful to have Anna with me: I understand she spends a lot of her nerves on me. And it’s also, ultimately, physical work… Support is extremely important so that a person doesn’t break down. That happened to me very often: when I felt I was breaking. Especially when it really started to sink in that I had no arms; that I couldn’t fight or do something myself. But when people are around — it’s already great.
Photo from the personal archive of Artem and Anna, and by Vitaliy Pavlenko.
