Foto: Camp Maximum
Viktor and Lyudmila
These are the names of two Ukrainians, who have felt the war on their own skin.
Two names, two people, who’s story is easily lost in the crowd when we talk about the Ukranian population.
Yet this couple, from the town of Kaniv, is among the many families whose lives have been turned upside down since the Russian invasion.
Viktor is a veteran of a war that is still raging, in the country he calls home.
For him and Lyudmila, life will never return to what it once was.
Still, the couple remains in good spirits. They explain that they have twice taken part in a rehabilitation program for veterans and their families. An experience that has improved their physical and mental well‑being.
The rehabilitation program is called Camp Maximum and is one of the Ukrainian projects that CKU supports.
4 Years of War
Most of us remember the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the shockwave it washed over Europe with.
It happened on February 24th, 2022. 4 years have now passed.
Nearly 6 million Ukrainians have fled the country.
Earlier this month, President Zelensky announced that the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed has now reached 55.000. Furthermore, above 900.000 Ukrainians remain in military service.
The battles have claimed lives on a scale not seen since the wars in Yugoslavia in the 90’s.
As a result, the number of Ukrainian war veterans continues to rise, and so does the need for rehabilitation.
Those who return home are faced with the challenges of reconnecting with life as a parent, a partner, and everyday obligations. All while grappling with physical and psychological battle scars.
They return to everyday life with a baggage of trauma.
These people need substantial psychological and physical support to regain a sense of normalcy.
Rehabilitation
Through Nexus in Ukraine+ CKU support the rehabilitation of Ukrainian veteran families at Camp Maximum.
Camp Maximum welcomes families like Viktor and Lyudmila, many of whom bring their children. Here, they receive help to cope with the trauma that accompanies life as a veteran or relatives of someone who has served in the Ukrainian military.
Upon arrival, the families are met by psychologists and rehabilitation specialists. They spend a week at the camp focused on restoring joy and creating positive new memories together.
In other words, the camp gives families a break from the war and a chance to reconnect with one another.
Camp Maximum’s founder and director, Vitaliy Sobko, explains:
“We create memories that they haven’t had for a long time.”
He adds that many veterans struggle to rebuild close relationships with their families when they return home. That is why there is a need for a fresh start, with both therapy and new, positive experiences.
The Future for War Veterans
For the staff at Camp Maximum, the aim is first and foremost to support the families, who participate, and then to look to the future.
The growing number of war veterans in Ukraine demands an expanded commitment to rehabilitation.
With support from CKU, the camp is able to help many families.
Sobko also emphasizes that participants can continue to help others once they return home:
“Most importantly, we equip them with a desire to serve other veterans,”
he says, adding:
“This program assumes helping the veterans to be ready to serve other veterans, when they come back.”
For that reason, the staff do not only rehabilitate families, they also teach them how to support others facing similar challenges.
The goal is for the healing process to continue beyond the participants, and spread like ripples in water, strengthening hope for a brighter future in Ukraine.
Camp Maximum is only the first step.
