Kathrine Frich
He crawled for five days with an open wound to get to safety.
He crawled for five days with an open wound to get to safety.
Ukrainian Soldier Survives After Throat Slit by Russian Forces
Vladyslav, a 33-year-old soldier in Ukraine’s National Guard, was captured near Pokrovsk.
Russian troops tortured him, cut his throat, and left him for dead in a pit with other prisoners. Against all odds, he managed to survive.
Left for Dead in a Pit With Fellow Soldiers
According to his own notes, Vladyslav was thrown into a pit along with seven other Ukrainian servicemen.
He says the Russians mutilated the faces and bodies of the captured men.
He was the only one who lived through the ordeal.
Crawling for Five Days With a Throat Wound
After cutting through his ropes with a shard of glass, Vladyslav tied a cloth around his throat to stop the bleeding.
For five days, he crawled back toward Ukrainian lines, surviving without proper food, water, or medical care.
“Little Chance of Survival,” Says Doctor
Dr. Serhii Ryzhenko, the chief physician at the hospital in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, said survival was almost impossible.
“When someone’s throat is cut, and they are bleeding to death, there is little chance of survival,” he explained.
Confidence Kept Him Alive
The doctor added that Vladyslav’s determination was unique.
“He held on until the end, but what sets him apart is that he was confident until the very end that everything would be fine.”
His willpower may have saved his life.
Admitted in Critical Condition on August 17
Vladyslav finally reached Ukrainian troops, who rushed him to a hospital.
On August 17, he was admitted in critical condition, suffering from blood loss and severe infection.
Surgeons immediately began emergency treatment.
Wife Says Glass Shard Saved His Life
His wife Viktoria explained that he cut his bonds with a broken glass bottle.
That simple act allowed him to bandage his own throat and start crawling back to safety.
Without it, she believes he would not have survived.
First Case of Its Kind in the Hospital
The hospital’s director noted that this was the first time they had treated such an injury in over a decade of war.
Surgeons are now performing reconstructive procedures so Vladyslav can breathe and speak again.
Communicating Through Writing for Now
Because of his throat wound, Vladyslav cannot speak at the moment.
Doctors say he is stable, but he communicates with his family by writing notes.
His four-year-old daughter is waiting to be reunited with him.
Hopes to Return to the Front One Day
Despite the ordeal, Vladyslav has told his family he wishes to recover fully and return to service.
His survival has become a symbol of resilience for his comrades, even as he undergoes a long and painful recovery.
