Ukrainian boy badly burned in Russian attack returns to school, music and dance

LVIV, Ukraine – Eight-year-old Roman Oleksiv is back at school in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, another step in an unlikely recovery from life-threatening burns and shrapnel to the head that from a Russian missile attack in July 2022.

Roman was waiting to see a doctor with his mother when a cruise missile struck the central town of Vinnytsia, in one of the deadliest single attacks since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began early in 2022.

His mother was among 28 people killed, while Roman had shrapnel wounds, a broken arm and burns over 45 per cent of his body.

After medics in Lviv stabilised him, he was sent to a specialist burns unit in Dresden, Germany, where he spent nearly a year undergoing more than 30 rounds of surgery.

He is now back in Lviv, and while he must return to Dresden regularly for treatment, he has begun to settle back into daily life with the help of his father, Mr Yaroslav Oleksiv.

“We did not know whether he would be able to walk, move his hand or his fingers,” Mr Oleksiv told Reuters at the school, his hand on Roman’s shoulder. He explained that his son was not in a state to speak to the media yet.

“But thanks to their (the medical workers’) work, to Roman’s work, his superhuman efforts... all this opened the door for us to return to dancing, to playing musical instruments.”

Roman is instantly recognisable among the children in the school’s brightly coloured corridors. He wears blue compressive coverings over his head, face and hands for his burns.

At a large hall nearby, young contestants wearing bow ties and dresses paired up for the ballroom dance competition.

Roman and his partner performed the tango and the charleston, and were warmly cheered as they stepped forward to receive their certificates and medals.

Later, Roman performed a solo on the bayan, a version of the accordion.

“We went back to practising dancing and the bayan. He went back to school, continues his education,” said Mr Oleksiv. “He is in third grade now. We are doing our best to get better.”

He said Roman faced years more treatment to fully recover, including surgery, hair implants and ear corrections.

“Step by step, we will deal with this and everything will be fine.”

He preferred not to dwell too much on the past.

“He is a fantastic boy,” said Mr Oleksiv. “I think the question is not what he has gone through but how will he go on... I hope that he will continue with the same strength as now to grow, to develop himself.” REUTERS