He lost his legs fighting for Ukraine. But this story is about love through adversity

Sgt. Mykhailo (Misha) Varvarych, 28, a commander with Ukraine's 80th Airborne Assault Brigade, and his fiancée, Iryna (Ira) Botvynska, 19, navigate an altered destiny after he lost both legs earlier this year while fighting in Luhansk during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. For better or worse, this is a Ukrainian love story.

Since June, they have been living in a tiny room at the Truskavets City Hospital near Lviv, in western Ukraine, where a growing legion of Ukraine's war wounded have come to seek healing and rehabilitation. More than 150 amputees have been treated so far at this facility alone. They lean on each other and face their drastically changed circumstances with dry wit, tenacity and grace.

In an age-old adage, love transcends adversity. At a tender age, Ira was forced to mature quickly, offering unconditional love and support to her man. They traverse obstacles and navigate a new terrain in this altered reality, while still savoring joy with playful, affectionate abandon. She plays footsie with his prosthetic leg, wipes his brow, endures his endless passion for video games and endlessly kisses his lips.

Their unflinching romance speaks not of life interrupted, but rather adapted and embraced.

In a country with a shattered economy, it is a challenge for Ukrainian hospitals, also under attack and understaffed, to provide adequate care amid the surge in demand. There is no concise