In 3 years of war in Ukraine, Minnesota doctor has given prosthetics to 500 Ukrainians

NINA MOINI: Today marks three years since Russia invaded Ukraine. It's become Europe's largest conflict since World War II. Tens of thousands have been killed, entire cities have been reduced to ruins, and millions of Ukrainians became refugees.

In Minnesota, there's been a doctor who's been helping those hurt in the war. The Protez Foundation, based in the Twin Cities, has provided hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians with prosthetics. Dr. Yakov Gradiner is the chief medical officer of the organization and a Ukrainian-American. He joins me now on the line to reflect on the last three years. Dr. Gradiner, I thank you for being with us.

YAKOV GRADINER: Thank you for having me.

NINA MOINI: We really appreciate your work and you coming on to share with us. When you started doing this work three years ago, did you think that it would last this long, three years?

YAKOV GRADINER: Never. We thought, like, half a year, maximum one year. And that would actually burn us up so badly because we were waiting and waiting to get, and nobody was even imagining that it's going to be such a big scale with so many wounded soldiers will be coming from frontline.

NINA MOINI: Yeah. You've been flying Ukrainian soldiers and now also civilians to Minnesota to get prosthetics. How many people have you been able to help?

YAKOV GRADINER: So, so far, we have three clinics, one in Minnesota, in Oakdale, and two clinics in Ukraine. So what we were doing, originally, we were trying to bring people over to the United States because system in Ukraine was overwhelmed. But then seeing that 70% of soldiers will go back, civilians will go back and trying to get back and try to do what they can to defend the country, we saw that need to open clinics in Ukraine.

So, so far, we were able to fit around 500 patients. And definitely, we do service and help them, too, as limbs do change, especially in first few years. That's what we are helping. Also, we are seeing that not only civilians and kids injured from war. We now start to care for kids non-war related because country is continuously working on that to keep up these challenges that they are facing.

NINA MOINI: Just all of the challenges that come with this time. 500 people-- that is amazing. And people will maybe be surprised to know that these prosthetics are free of charge that you're providing. How have you been able to fund this incredible service?

YAKOV GRADINER: I will say that thank you, Americans, for building great country where we, as immigrants, can come and try with our families and become part of community, of country, and be proud citizen, American, but also help my home country. And that would help tremendously.

Ukrainian community step up graciously, helping and trying to do as much as possible, donating and volunteering. And as well, a lot of Americans reflect on this. And I was actually really touched, how one person came, and he said, I'm bringing you donation, but it has to go to Ukrainians. And I said, yeah, we just serve Ukrainians at this point, because that's how we funded our foundation. But in the future, we will think to help others as well.

NINA MOINI: Sure, so lots of just private donors stepping up, grants that are out there. That's amazing. I'm curious, for you and just your journey in life, what made you want to provide this service for people? Like, did you ever think you'd be in a situation like this?

YAKOV GRADINER: I never thought that way. But when, 18 years ago, I finished medical school and worked as an orthopedic surgeon in Ukraine, and then opportunity came for me to come to the US-- so for me, it left that little emptiness that I didn't give back to my country, who paid for my schooling. So when this opportunity came, it's actually my desire to help my own country, but also fulfillment of that volunteer, and also to give back to country, Ukraine, that paid for my schooling and helped me to advance in my life.

NINA MOINI: Mm-hmm. People have so much pride for their home country, obviously. And you mentioned that some people, particularly the soldiers, they want to go right back out there on the front line after getting a prosthetic. What do they tell you about why that's so important for them?

YAKOV GRADINER: I think that it lays down in years of Ukraine being neighboring with Russia and be multiple times overtaking. So for them, they saw this opportunity to defend own country and fight for freedom. And that empowers them. That is like, if we don't fight, then our homes, our families will be occupied. And we will still fight, but then we will fight for Russia. And that is scary thing that nobody wants to fight, because empire will go further out into Europe to occupy more.

And that's what I think drives them, that they feel that defending own country, own home, freedom. And they are not only fighting for Ukraine. They are fighting for Europe as well. And one more thing that really strikes me that these soldiers say this, that if we wouldn't go fight, people think that we will lose less people. No, a lot of people will be sent to Siberia, to different regions, if Ukraine wouldn't fight back Russia.

NINA MOINI: So yeah, taking into account for the entire region and what would be coming down the line, this wouldn't be the end is what you're saying. So your clinic, your clinic in Kyiv, I understand opened up this past April, April 2024.

And you've been back and forth several times since the war started, which I'm very curious about that experience. And I understand you're going back again in a couple of weeks. What is it like to travel back and forth to your home country in the middle of a war?

YAKOV GRADINER: So it's very different country that I left. You can feel that tension in the air. You can hear those air alerts. And for me, going through Kyiv and seeing buildings that were hit by drones, buildings that artillery destroyed, and seeing that fear in eyes of civilians where air alert going on, and they all feel that anxiousness.

I've been five times last year into Ukraine, and it's kind of like, you kind of check yourself. Like, is it safe? Is it OK to go there? I have seven kids. I have family here. But then, going there, seeing still people go to work, they try to show up on time, despite of air alerts, despite of all, when you see in the sky that missiles being destroyed and you still need to go back in to clinic and see patients, and especially after night, where it's three, four air alerts would wake you up to go to shelter.

And then what's the scary part, that you are so exhausted from those air alerts that you kind of don't care. And then suddenly some civilian building's hit, and a lot of casualties. So that is scary, different part of different country that you never think of that.

And I cut myself a few times, since coming to the United States, you feel peace. You feel that freedom. You feel that normal life that we take for granted. And I compare Ukraine, where I saw before I came to the United States, and what they're seeing. It's like, how war is horrible and how, even with a lot of coverage in news, you can show bombed buildings, but you cannot show people who suffered, kids who suffered, who lost their limbs, who lost their loved ones. And it's very, very, very hard to pass on.

NINA MOINI: It's eerie. It's unsettling to think about trying to have a routine and go about your day with air sirens and knowing everything that's going on and for three years now. It's just-- it's unimaginable. Before I let you go, doctor, I'm curious about all the work that you've done. Are you hoping to expand even further? Or what is next for Protez Foundation?

YAKOV GRADINER: So right now, we are looking to create a VA-like clinic with Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kyiv as well, who take care of National Guard police, firefighters. But in the future, seeing how much we were able to have done, this brings my attention that there is a lot of countries in Africa, South America, Asia, where we have lack of prosthetic care. So this inspires us to look at bigger picture and use experience that we have helping Ukraine to other countries as well.

NINA MOINI: Dr. Gradiner, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your work with us. Wishing you all the best in this New Year.

YAKOV GRADINER: Thank you for your support.

NINA MOINI: Thank you. That was Dr. Yakov Gradiner. He's the chief medical officer of the Protez Foundation, which has been providing prosthetics to Ukrainians injured in the war.