“DETOX with the Unbreakable” project. Stories of Strength. Yevgeniy Doroshko

Yevhen Doroshko is a man who isn’t used to stopping. Calm, composed, and incredibly resilient—that’s exactly how the Aqua Mirgorod team saw him during the filming of the “DETOX with the Unbreakable” project, which is being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the NGO “Zakhyst+” (as part of the initiative to integrate veterans into the “Here, Veterans Are Honored” brand communications).

Yevhen Doroshko is a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, an athlete, and a multiple medalist in international adaptive sports competitions. Today, he is the Ukrainian champion in para-athletics shot put, a bronze medalist at the Ukrainian kettlebell lifting championship, and is also actively involved in rowing—it is in this sport that he dreams of making the Ukrainian Paralympic team.

In 2022, during the battles for Popasna, Yevhen sustained a head injury. A piece of shrapnel caused him to lose almost all of his vision—today, he has only 2–4% vision remaining.

After his injury, Yevheni joined a university and began training regularly. Over the course of four years, he tried his hand at various sports, but he was most captivated by rowing—a sport in which, as he puts it, the key is not strength, but endurance and character.

“I haven’t achieved anything here yet. But that’s just for now,” Yevheniys jokes.

The athlete quickly adapted to his new reality. While he needs assistance in some situations, he tries to do as much as possible on his own. And that, in his opinion, is what matters most when it comes to veterans—not pity, but respect.

“Treat veterans like ordinary people. If you want to help, just ask. But don’t look at them with pity—it undermines human dignity,” says Yevgeniy.

He is convinced that war changes a person forever—physically or psychologically. But even after the toughest trials, it’s important to see the light ahead and keep moving forward.