The Invictus Games in Ukraine and FUIB held a panel discussion on the recovery of veterans through movement and community

On January 21, a panel discussion “Adaptive Sports. First Steps to New Strength” was held at the Veteran Hub in Kyiv, dedicated to the role of adaptive training in the physical and psychological recovery of veterans. The event was organized by the “Live towards” platform, initiated by FUIB Bank, Stratcom Ukraine (Invincible Games in Ukraine), U+System, Veteran Hub, and the “[Extra]ordinary” project, which was created to provide veterans with introductory adaptive training, form a quality community, and accelerate their recovery from injuries.

The moderator of the discussion was Maksym Yermokhin — an officer, veteran, participant of the Invictus Games 2020 and Warrior Games 2022. The following speakers joined the event:

• Tetyana Kolesnyk — Head of Social Projects at FUIB
• Vira Pasishnyuk — Coordinator of “Invictus Games” in Ukraine.
• Viktoria Garkusha — Head of the “Live towards” platform.
• Volodymyr Moisey — Coordinator and Mentor of the “[Extra]ordinary” Project.
• Maksym Zubov — Veteran, participant of the Ukrainian national team at the Invictus Games 2023.
• Maksym Dolzhenko — Veteran, specialist in sports rehabilitation.

Participants spoke about adaptive sports, recovery, support, and acceptance. The discussion touched on personal challenges, the power of community, and how movement helps to feel resilient again.

Participants emphasized that adaptive sports are primarily a process of recovery. Maksym Dolzhenko noted: “Physical changes are important, but no less important is that a person begins to feel in control of their body. This is what restores confidence and the desire to move forward.”

Maksym Zubov emphasized that the most difficult stage is often not the training itself, but the internal decision to start. Fear, doubts and insecurity can become a serious barrier, which is why the support of trainers, mentors and people with similar experience is of key importance.

An important focus of the discussion was the role of the community. Volodymyr Moisey emphasized: “In my opinion, the best motivation for people is people. When you see someone like you who has gone through the same stage, then, relying on this example, you can achieve the result”.

In support of his words, Viktoriya Garkusha noted that the project “[Extra]ordinary”, developed by FUIB Bank and partners, creates an environment where veterans can inspire each other, receive support and a safe start in adaptive sports.

A special place in the conversation was occupied by real stories of veterans for whom adaptive training became a point of recovery, a new meaning and a way to return to active life.

The event clearly demonstrated that the development of adaptive sports in Ukraine is possible thanks to the partnership of business, public initiatives and the veteran community. Together they form a new culture of recovery, in which everyone’s path matters, and support is the norm, not the exception.