Last weekend, Madrid, the capital of Spain, hosted Arnold Classic Europe, an international strongman competition at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Festival. The Ukrainian team, consisting of veterans who had sustained severe combat injuries, took part in the event. Most of them had prosthetic limbs.
Together, eight Ukrainian defenders pulled four 35-tonne trucks a distance of 20 metres while sitting, completing the feat in 30.69 seconds and setting a new world record!
Among the veterans was Ukrainian fighter Mykhailo Drobotenko, who is especially dear to our BGV Charity Fund team. He received prosthetic legs at one of the most modern hospitals in Tallinn under our joint programme with Estonian partners. Just 10 days after his discharge, he set a world record! Mykhailo is still adjusting to his new prostheses, and wearing them full-time remains a challenge. Rehabilitation is a long and difficult process that takes at least six months. However, his willpower and determination are truly inspiring.
Mykhailo’s Story
Mykhailo Drobotenko from Kropyvnytskyi is a kickboxer and professional soldier who has been fighting since 2014. He served as a scout and, two years later, became a deputy group commander, eventually being promoted to sergeant. He was awarded the Order ‘For Courage’, III class, for his bravery in defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity and exemplary service.
On 24 February 2022, Mykhailo was promoted to unit commander. His team operated a mortar, repelling enemy attacks to the last shell. Taking responsibility for his subordinates, he spent several days leading his comrades out of an extremely dangerous area through forests and fields.
Then came the turning point in Mykhailo’s life. While surveying the area, he successfully defused two mines. But then, he stepped on a buried booby trap left by the occupiers—and in an instant, everything changed. Doctors had to amputate both his legs.
Yet, Mykhailo refused to give up. He received two modern electronic prostheses and set himself a goal: to return to sports. And now, just days after his rehabilitation, he is already proving that nothing is impossible.
