Since the start of the full-scale war, it is estimated that tens of thousands of Ukrainians have experienced limb loss. Reports suggest that between 20,000 and 50,000 Ukrainians have had one or more limbs amputated due to the ongoing warfare, WSJ found. These estimates originate from prosthetics films, medical practitioners, and charitable organizations.
Such a substantial number of amputations has not been observed in recent Western armed forces. During World War I, approximately 67,000 Germans and 41,000 Britons underwent amputations, which was the sole available means to avert death at the time. Comparatively, fewer than 2,000 US veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq have undergone amputations.
Before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s annual amputation count numbered in the thousands. However, the country’s healthcare system is now overwhelmed, struggling to handle the increased demand, as conveyed by Ukrainian medical experts and specialists.