25-year-old Ukrainian sniper Anastasiia Savka, call sign “Phoenix”, got a severe injury to her left leg on the frontline. Currently, she is recovering after the amputation at the National Rehabilitation Center UNBROKEN – and making plans to return to the fight.

Before February 24, 2022, Anastasiia lived with her young son, Yarem, in Lviv and worked as an administrator in a car service.

But after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the woman joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and became a sniper with the call sign “Phoenix.” As part of the 118th Brigade, Anastasiia participated in hostilities on the Zaporizhzhia axis.

In late November 2023, during one of the combat operations, Anastasiia accidentally stepped on a Russian mine. The fragments severely damaged her left leg. Fellow soldiers immediately applied a tourniquet and transported Anastasiia to a first-aid post. However, it was impossible to save the leg due to severe injuries, as reported by nv.ua.

Photo: UNBROKEN Ukraine / Facebook

For further treatment, Anastasiia was sent to the National Rehabilitation Center UNBROKEN in Lviv. Currently, the woman is undergoing physical and psychological rehabilitation, preparing for future prosthetics.

Her 5-year-old son, Yarem, who has been cared for by Anastasiia’s parents since the beginning of her service, is currently with his mother in Lviv.

“Ukraine is associated with war for my Yarem. He is still very young (…) I don’t want him to live in constant fear and flinch at the sound of sirens. So, I must ensure his safety and future,” says Anastasiia Savka.

For this, “Phoenix” says she will do everything possible: recover from the injury, return to the front, and continue defending the future of her child and her country.

Anastasiia’s story was told by UNBROKEN Ukraine.