October 13th, 2022 by WCBC Radio
Tuesday, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) met with Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr Chaika, who is receiving care at the Medical Center Orthotics and Prosthetics (MCOP) in Silver Spring. Oleksandr, a Ukrainian athlete, choreographer, acrobatics coach, and teacher joined the Ukrainian military shortly after Putin announced his war on Ukraine. Oleksandr was deployed to the Luhansk region where he lost his leg to an explosive. With assistance from Senator Van Hollen’s office to arrive in the United States, Oleksandr has now received a prosthetic leg as part of MCOP’s Operation Renew to serve Ukrainian military personnel. On Tuesday, Senators Van Hollen and Duckworth toured MCOP, met with Oleksandr, and highlighted the continued need for U.S. support for the people of Ukraine.
“The people of Ukraine have inspired the world in their valiant defense against Putin’s unprovoked war. We are moved by their courage, and it was an honor to join Oleksandr to express our gratitude for his service and the service of so many Ukrainian men and women who are fighting in the name of freedom, democracy, and the sovereignty of their nation. I was proud to help facilitate Oleksandr’s journey to the United States, and I’m glad to see him receive such dedicated care here in Maryland from the team at Medical Center Orthotics and Prosthetics, who also have provided care to many of our wounded warriors at Walter Reed. As we emphasized to Oleksandr, the Ukrainian people have our full support, and we will continue fighting to provide the resources they need to stand firm against Russia’s aggression,” said Senator Van Hollen.
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