SUMY REGION, UKRAINE -- A wounded Ukrainian soldier has just been carried into a medical stabilization point close to the front line in Ukraine's northern Sumy region. A piece of shrapnel is lodged in his leg.
"What time did they put the tourniquet on?" asks one medic. Another looks down, "It says they put it on at 7:10 p.m., I think," he says.
This is the cramped, dimly lit stabilization point of Ukraine's 117th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade. Military medics work here to patch up Ukrainian soldiers fighting off Russian troops who have intensified their cross-border offensive.
"Please save his leg," a voice pleads.
Operating just a few kilometers from the fighting, the medical personnel provide critical emergency care before patients are evacuated to hospitals further from the front.
This unit, like many on Ukraine’s front lines, has taken over abandoned buildings and makeshift shelters and adapted them into emergency care hubs.
“Recently, there have been a lot of moderately and severely wounded. Mostly from mines, shelling, and FPV (first-person-view) drone strikes,” said one medic named Ihor.
The Sumy region, located on Ukraine’s northern border with Russia, has become a renewed flashpoint. Russian forces have launched repeated attacks on villages and military positions, supported by drones, glide bombs, and artillery barrages.
“They are pressing with all their strength,” said Dmytro, a Ukrainian medic.
“They outnumber us, but we’re holding thanks to FPV drones and technology. We almost even out the odds, but they still have a huge advantage in manpower."
Casualties have mounted on both sides, with medics now treating not only battlefield injuries but also civilians caught in attacks.
Despite the constant danger, the morale among medics remains focused and determined.
Back at the stabilization point, the team trying to save the soldier's leg see a positive sign as they work urgently to restore blood flow and check for sensation. Toes begin to move.
"It's working. It's a beauty! Well done," a medic exclaims, and the team celebrates a small but vital victory.
