After Losing His Arms and Legs, a Ukrainian Veteran Skis Again
Reading Time: 4 minutes
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Summary:
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Ukrainian veteran loses all four limbs to a mine explosion on the Bakhmut front
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Mykola Shot skis again at Bukovel resort using prosthetics, less than two years post-amputation
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Recovery milestones include racing, driving an adaptive car, and mentoring fellow veterans
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His story shows life after quadruple amputation can include sport, independence, and purpose
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When Mykola Shot strapped on skis at the Bukovel resort in western Ukraine this past January, he hadn’t been on a slope in years—and he was doing it without the arms and legs he was born with.
The 41-year-old soldier from Novoyavorivsk had been defending Ukraine with the 93rd Brigade “Kholodnyi Yar” since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. In 2024, a mine explosion on the Bakhmut front cost him both arms and both legs. Four amputations—one of the most devastating injuries a person can survive.
But surviving, for Mykola, was never going to be enough.
From the moment he arrived at the Unbroken Center, a rehabilitation facility in Ukraine dedicated to helping wounded veterans rebuild their lives, he approached recovery with the same determination that carried him through combat. His goal wasn’t simply to heal; it was to get back to living.
That process has unfolded milestone by milestone.
In the spring of 2025, less than a year after his amputation, Mykola competed in his first race on prosthetics. By summer, he had returned to driving—something he’d done for 20 years before the war. A special adaptive car, purchased through a charity run organized in his hometown, was outfitted with custom elements on the steering wheel and doors, allowing him to get behind the wheel independently. That autumn, he began mentoring other wounded veterans at the Unbroken Center, helping them navigate the same path he was still walking himself.
Then came winter and the mountains.
Twenty years ago, Mykola practiced biathlon, the demanding winter sport that combines cross-country skiing with precision shooting. The slopes had always been part of his life. So when his rehabilitation team at the Unbroken Center helped plan a trip to Bukovel, one of Ukraine’s most beloved ski destinations, he didn’t hesitate.
Getting into the gear was the first challenge. With prosthetics, nothing is simple. But with the support of his team, he managed—and then he made his way to the slope on his own. He skied several meters and felt constant pressure on his residual limbs. But he did not fall once.
Later, to go further and faster, he switched to adaptive skis and worked with a professional instructor, who guided him down some of the resort’s most demanding runs at full speed. In an interview with Zaxid.net, Mykola shared that the adrenaline rush he felt while skiing again after amputation was amazing. He recommends everyone try it.
But before he ever clicked into those ski bindings, he put into words the philosophy that has defined his recovery: He’s confident that he can ski again. Even if he falls, he believes that he can always get up and try again.
That mindset—stubborn yet clear-eyed—is worth sitting with, especially for anyone facing the long and often painful road of life after amputation. Recovery rarely looks like a straight line; instead, it’s like learning to drive again, running a race, mentoring someone else through their hardest days, and then, when winter comes, deciding to go skiing.
Mykola says he plans to return to the slopes before the season ends. For him, Bukovel wasn’t a finish line; it was just the next thing on the list.
Related Reading:
Quadruple Amputee Walks Again After Five Years
Defying Limits: Double Amputee Becomes First to Summit Every Continent’s Highest Peak
