Along the edge of a swimming pool in Zaporizhzhia, prostheses and crutches lie among the towels. Scattered across damp, time-worn beige tiles, they serve as a stark reminder of the brutality of the war that has engulfed this industrial city in southeastern Ukraine.
After seven in the evening, Rostyslav, Serhii, Pavlo and others step into the water under the dim glow of overhead lights. Three times a week, soldiers and veterans gather for sessions of the Free Waves rehabilitation programme, developed by Ukrainian swimmer Denys Sylantyev, the 1998 world champion and a silver medallist at the 2000 Olympic Games.
“Swimming helps restore both physical and mental health after the stress of combat. Soldiers come here after concussions, amputations and complex operations — under the supervision of physiotherapists or instructors,” he explains.
Others, like Serhii, come simply to release tension and, if only briefly, escape life in the trenches. “I discovered this project on social media. In the army, there is hardly any time for such things, so this is a real opportunity to take a break,” he says, wiping his face.
“A matter of pride”
Leaning on his crutch, Rostyslav throws a towel over his shoulder. Around his neck hangs a gold cross, next to a tattoo in the shape of a footprint. “I was wounded by shrapnel from a cluster bomb. A fragment entered through my abdomen and exited through my leg,” says the 30-year-old.
After six months of rehabilitation, he is already seeing progress: “It really feels better in the water.” Some regain sensitivity in their limbs and joint mobility, while others recover at least a part of their social lives.
Since its launch in 2024, the Free Waves project — coordinated by the Zaporizhzhia Platform for Joint Action NGO and funded by Metinvest — has provided free support to nearly 400 soldiers in Kryvyi Rih, Kamianske and Zaporizhzhia.
In addition to the four swimming pools currently participating in the programme, there are plans to open two more in Zaporizhzhia. Each will be equipped with specialised facilities, including pool lifts for people with reduced mobility. However, participants often prefer to manage on their own — “a matter of pride”, as they say.
Beneath the water, the war recedes
At the poolside, coach Serhii, a short man with a round face, carefully oversees the session. “There is no pressure here — participants choose what they want to do. People with disabilities often do not need assistance; they simply need to be treated with respect,” he explains.
Among them is Pavlo, reserved and quiet. Wounded more than a year ago and having lost a leg, he prefers not to revisit the memory of his injury.
Despite this, he continues to attend the sessions: “It helps you discover something new about yourself. It reminds you that you are still capable of moving forward,” he says, holding back emotion.
Underwater, the war fades away. Yet reality is never far: fighting is now taking place some 20 kilometres from the city. During air raid alerts, participants must leave the pool and take shelter. When power outages prevent the water from being heated, “sometimes sessions have to be cancelled, or participants swim in cold water without lighting,” admits Denys Sylantyev. “But that has not stopped our project.”
Known as the “City of Steel”, Zaporizhzhia has become a symbol of resilience — a place where people continue to endure the trials of war.