Between battles, Ukraine's soldiers have a place to recover
Sitting on comfy armchairs in a low-lit room smelling of lavender and pine trees, the men take deep breaths as they close their eyes and listen to meditation music
By VASILISA STEPANENKO
Published - Jan 05, 2023, 02:52 AM ET
Last Updated - Jun 23, 2023, 03:40 AM EDT
KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP) — Sitting on comfy armchairs in a low-lit room smelling of lavender and pine trees, the men take deep breaths as they close their eyes and listen to meditation music.
But this is not a spa. Uniformed Ukrainian soldiers are taking a break at this rehabilitation center in the Kharkiv region to restore their bodies and minds before going back to the front line.
The relentless 10-month war has prompted a local commander to transform a Soviet-era sanatorium into a recovery center for servicemen to treat both mental and physical ailments.
“This rehabilitation is helping soldiers, at least for a week, to put themselves together," said Oleksander Vasylkovskyi, a lieutenant colonel in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.