Maksym Ostroushko, a Ukrainian military veteran, was once a prisoner of war after being captured by Russian forces when he was the sole survivor of a 35-member unit. Enduring almost two years of captivity, including time in Siberia where he faced torture, Maksym now receives support from Wings of Victory, a charitable foundation offering hippotherapy, a healing method that utilizes horse riding.
During a visit to a session in Kyiv oblast, Maksym rode a 10-year-old horse named Barcelona. He recounted his experience during Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine, where he was part of a unit tasked with defending Mariupol, a city later seized by Russia in 2022 after intense combat. Despite being the only survivor of his unit, Maksym managed to evade capture until he was eventually taken prisoner.
After being drugged and witnessing the death of fellow captives, Maksym underwent skull surgery and endured harsh conditions in various detention centers, including Siberia and Taganrog. Subjected to daily torture and mistreatment, he held onto hope of eventual release, which finally came on January 30, 2024.
Now working in a metal processing firm, Maksym battles PTSD but finds solace in hippotherapy, recommending it to others, especially those with military backgrounds. The therapeutic benefits of horse riding, as explained by Wings of Victory’s head Viktoria Kramarenko, include improving posture, back health, balance, and overall well-being.
Looking ahead, Maksym envisions a future that includes starting a family, a dream he cherishes after surviving the harrowing experiences of captivity and torture.
