Eight-year-old Ukrainian boy, severely burned in a deadly rocket attack on his hometown, finds joy in ballroom dancing
A Ukrainian boy who was seriously burned in a deadly rocket attack on his hometown has found joy in ballroom dancing after receiving treatment in Germany.
Roman Oleksiv, aged eight, suffered devastating burns to 45 percent of his body and shrapnel to his head after Russian missiles struck his hometown of Vinnytsia, in central Ukraine.
Medical experts thought the serious injuries would leave him unable to walk or move his hands, but young Roman braved the near-death experience by taking ballroom dancing lessons.
Dressed in a formal shirt and black bow tie, plus compression coverings to help heal the extensive scars on his face and hands, the bouncy schoolboy returned to his school in Ukraine to show off his moves.
Roman masterfully performed the tango and Charleston for an audience of schoolchildren who cheered in support.
Dressed in a formal shirt and black bow tie, as well as compression coverings to help heal the extensive scarring on his face and hands, Roman and his partner took the stage by storm as they performed the Charleston and Tango.
The brave eight-year-old has undergone dozens of skin graft operations in a year at a specialist German clinic, following the deadly attack that killed 29 people in his hometown, including Roman’s mother.
The attack, recorded as one of the deadliest attacks on Ukraine since the brutal Russian invasion, struck the boy and his mother as they waited for a doctor.
His father, Yaroslav, told Reuters: “We didn’t know if he would be able to walk, move his hand or his fingers.”
He added, “But thanks [the medics’] work, Roman’s work, his superhuman efforts… all this opened the door for us to return to dancing, to playing musical instruments.’
Roman’s talents are not only in dancing, because the eight-year-old also sang a solo on the bayan, a kind of accordion.
Roman demonstrated his grace as he showed off his killer moves with his partner at a school in Ukraine
The brave schoolboy held his head high as he took his partner to the dance floor during a performance with other children at his school
Eight-year-old wears a compression covering over his face to help heal injuries he suffered after a devastating Russian missile strike
Roman looked confident as he took his partner by the hand to expertly perform a dance routine at his school in Ukraine
Roman was accompanied by his classmates, dressed smartly, as he performed for a cheerful audience of his peers
The resilient young boy has taken dance lessons despite setbacks
Roman’s proud father holds his son by the waist as he looks up at the brave eight-year-old who has found joy in dancing after losing his mother in a Russian missile attack
Roman’s father Yaroslav gives his son a fist bump as he inspires his classmates by hitting the dance floor despite his long road to recovery from his devastating injuries
The schoolboy has returned to classes and the company of his peers in Ukraine after being treated at a specialized German clinic
Returning to school, Roman can be seen actively participating in class
The young boy still has a long road to recovery and must regularly visit a clinic in Dresden for further operations
The attack, recorded as one of the deadliest attacks on Ukraine since the brutal Russian invasion, struck the boy and his mother as they waited for a doctor.
Roman bends over his schoolwork as his father says, “The question is not what he has been through, but how he will move forward.”
A Russian missile strike struck the city of Vinnytsia, in central Ukraine, in one of the deadliest attacks since the invasion
The young boy still faces a long road to recovery. He regularly has to go to a clinic in Dresden for more operations, including hair implants and operations to repair damage to his ear.
His hopeful father said: “I think the question is not what he has been through, but how he will move forward… I hope he will continue to grow, to develop himself, with the same vigor as now.”
The German government says it has spent about 24 billion euros in weapons and humanitarian aid on Ukraine as the devastating Russian invasion approaches its two-year milestone.
President Joe Biden warned Wednesday that U.S. troops may have to fight Russian troops if Congress prevents further aid from being sent to Ukraine.
He demanded that lawmakers approve his request for tens of billions in military and economic aid.