The Free Waves rehabilitation programme for veterans and active military personnel is ongoing in Zaporizhia.
For four months now, veterans and servicemen have been participating in the Free Waves project, a rehabilitation programme developed by the Olympic swimming medallist Denys Sylantiev.
The programme helps Ukraine's defenders improve their health after injuries, speeding up their physical and psychological recovery. Nearly 100 veterans have participated, and, most importantly, they are seeing positive results.
The programme began in July at one of the city's swimming pools. Financial support for the Free Waves project is provided by Metinvest in coordination with Zaporizhstal plant and Zaporizhia. Joint Action Platform CSO.
“A war veteran ID is all you need to start training. We ask defenders about their injuries and any other issues they may have. Then we look what activities they can do in the water, check for joint pain, and see if certain movements cause discomfort.
"Our participants include both veterans and active-duty soldiers. Some come from the front lines for two-week breaks, and we work on helping them recover physically and psychologically, and cope with stress and strain. Water provides benefits that other forms of exercise don't. We’re very pleased with the progress our participants are making," said Denys SYLANTIEV.
Hryhorii Tsurkin has attended more than 15 swimming rehabilitation sessions. He served in eastern Ukraine in 2016 during the anti-terrorist operation and joined the armed forces when the full-scale invasion began.
He successfully defended Zaporizhia with his brothers-in-arms fighting in Vasylivka and later on the Orikhiv axis.
According to Hryhorii, swimming provides both rehabilitation and a chance to bond with like-minded people.
"When I come here, swimming gives me physical relief, And I also get to connect with other veterans. Here, I meet those who were in the same trenches and dugouts with me, soldiers from my brigade, or battalion, or squad.
More people started coming now, even women veterans. I tell my friends about these sessions and have recently brought my buddy who’d just come back from the front. I introduced him to the coach, and he’s swimming now," said Hryhorii.
Another participant, Serhii Rulkov, worked at Zaporizhstal before the invasion and enlisted as a volunteer on the second day of the full-scale war. Now swimming aids his recovery following the injury sustained during combat.
"I've been in rehabilitation for over six months, and swimming is one of its most crucial elements. I've only attended two sessions so far, but I already see the effects. Programmes like this are in high demand, and this support makes a big difference for people recovering from injuries," said Serhii RULKOV.
Free Waves sessions for veterans take place three times a week, with tailored programmes based on participants' physical conditions.
“We launched Free Waves more than three months ago thanks to our partners at Metinvest. We offered our veterans free access to swimming-based rehabilitation.
"We set up a group chat where participants share their progress, physical conditions after sessions, and overall feelings post-training. This feedback helps us adjust the programme in real time, as individual approaches are crucial to maximise the effectiveness of water-based rehabilitation. Our goal is to provide veterans with the best possible support," said Denys Sylantiev.
Veterans and servicemen in Zaporizhia have the opportunity to join the project for free.
