Titans Under Sail: Amputee Ukrainian Veterans Heal in Canaries

The sea has a remarkable way of calming almost everything. It helps us step away from the past and live in the present. It heals hidden wounds and eases even those that seem impossible to overcome. Far from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a group of 25 young Ukrainian veterans has found a place to heal in the Canary Islands, out in the Atlantic Ocean.

The war brought an entire country to a standstill, along with the lives of thousands of young people. Most were called to fight when the conflict escalated. After years of battles, some returned with physical and mental injuries; others never came home at all.

From this difficult situation, a non-profit project called Titans Under Sail (Titanes en Vela in Spanish) was created. It uses catamaran sailing as a way to help Ukrainian veterans who have lost limbs recover.

This project organizes trips in parts of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. The Canary Islands became one of their safe havens. A recent trip there, sailing between La Gomera, Tenerife, and La Palma, allowed them to get away from the tragedy.

Even with the sounds of sirens still echoing in their minds, these young people are trying to rebuild their lives far from the front lines.

While international news often focuses on other events, the conflict in Ukraine continues, though it receives less attention than it did months ago.

This report, for example, had to be rescheduled several times. The reason: the veterans' homes had no electricity for days.

Russian missiles continue to hit Ukraine's power grid, and at the same time, "General Winter" arrives on schedule, pushing temperatures down to nearly 20 degrees below zero. Electricity is only available for a few hours a day. This is their daily reality.

The first veteran interviewed by DIARIO DE AVISOS is Dmytro Zhyvotovskyi, 26, from the Poltava region. In 2024, he lost his left leg while serving with the 14th Independent Mechanized Brigade. For safety reasons, he now lives in a different part of the country.

The amputation – which they call "trauma" – changed his life forever, but "life did not stop." Rehabilitation is now part of his daily routine. His family and friends have been incredibly supportive throughout this journey.

With Titans Under Sail, Dmytro is an active team member. Before the war, he was a cook, and now he organizes the menus during the voyages. "It's a way to feel useful, to contribute something," he says.

His connection to the sea goes back a long way. "As a child, I played by a lake and built makeshift boats with plastic bottles," he explains. He already knew about the Canary Islands from geography classes and TV shows. "I never imagined I would come here as part of a rehabilitation process," he admits.

Before arriving in the Archipelago, he had already taken part in another trip in Croatia. He wanted to experience something new and spend time with other veterans, away from any reminders of the war. "We need to have a civilian life again, away from the conflict," he summarizes.

"When you are surrounded only by water, without distractions, your mind clears," he shares. He sees a difference between the sea and the ocean: the Atlantic, for him, is "more powerful," with stronger waves and winds. But instead of being scared, he finds it calming. "Feeling that power is deeply healing." The sea, he says, sometimes acts like a painkiller.

Next is Denys Yermuratskyi, 25, from Lubny, also in the Poltava region. He joined the army at the start of the conflict and fought in the 25th Sicheslav Independent Airborne Brigade, an elite unit. In 2022, he lost his right leg.

Before the war, he was a dancer. He went to festivals and particularly remembers a trip to Germany in 2007, where he met Spanish dancers and learned about their traditional dances.

Like Dmytro, he knew about the Canary Islands from geography books.

His connection to the sea is deep. "It is important to me. It is the origin of life," he states. As a child, he spent hours by the river in his village, and that familiarity, he explains, made him feel an immediate connection when he boarded the catamaran.

One of the most powerful memories from the trip happened at dawn. He sat on deck, facing Amarilla Golf bay in San Miguel de Abona, where the 25 veterans were staying. In silence, he watched the sunrise while some stars still twinkled in the sky. "It was one of the most powerful moments of my life," he says.

For him, the ocean represents uncertainty: something that cannot be fully controlled or understood.

Denys doesn't believe his life has completely changed after losing his leg. The disability, he insists, is physical, yes, but it's something he acquired. "I know how to do many things; I just have to learn to do them differently." During the voyage, he discovered he could perform various tasks and take on responsibilities on board. "It's simply a limitation that is in the mind," he concludes.

Joining Titans Under Sail was a life-changing experience for him. "Not doing it would have been missing an opportunity," he admits.

The project's first voyage took place on January 13, 2025. Since then, the organizers say, the positive results are clear.

Life, after such a major setback, "must be seen in a new way." They share the example of one veteran who participated in the Tenerife experience. He enrolled in a sailing school, got his license, and now volunteers as a crew member, helping other veterans.

The goal of this initiative is to restore their motivation and show them that life doesn't end after trauma. Forgetting the war isn't easy; in fact, they don't directly talk about it. That silence is part of the healing process.

Titans Under Sail was created to help them leave behind the dark conflict that put their lives on hold, even if only for a few days. And to see themselves again for who they are now.

People rebuilding their lives. Titans, this time, under sail.