Ukrainian polar explorer comes back to Antarctica after severe war injury – photos
Pravda Ukraine
Ukrainian polar researcher Yurii Lyshenko was in Antarctica when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Upon coming back to Ukraine, he joined the Armed Forces. Yurii sustained a severe injury that led to the amputation of part of his leg. Despite this, he has come back to work in Antarctica.
Source: National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine on Facebook
Details: Yurii Lyshenko, a native of the city of Kharkiv, trained as a ship navigator and worked in maritime expeditions, including in the Arctic. He first joined a Ukrainian Antarctic expedition in 2011 as a diesel-electric engineer and has since participated in three more year-long missions at the Vernadsky Research Base.
In 2021, when Ukraine acquired its first icebreaker from the UK, Lyshenko played a key role in equipping and preparing the vessel for its maiden voyage.
Quote from Antarctic Scientific Center: “It was he who put in an extraordinary amount of effort to re-register the British vessel James Clark Ross as Noosphere just five months after its purchase and fully prepare it for the first Antarctic season, which began a month before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.”
Details: During the 27th Antarctic expedition, Lyshenko took part in a major overhaul of the Ukrainian station, replacing outdated British diesel engines with more efficient and eco-friendly models.
Quote from Antarctic Scientific Center: “For this work, the polar explorer set off for Antarctica a bit earlier than the rest of the expedition. While he was on his way to the icy continent, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.”
Details: After returning from Antarctica in spring 2023, Lyshenko enlisted in the military and led an assault unit in the 54th Mechanised Brigade.
He fought in Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts. However, in October 2023, he sustained a severe injury when a Russian mine struck the defenders’ trench.
Quote from Antarctic Scientific Center: “Yurii miraculously survived, but his severe injuries led to the amputation of part of his leg.”
Details: Lyshenko joked that he had “become an Antarctic pirate” with one leg and a penguin on his shoulder. Just a year and a half after his injury, Yurii underwent rehabilitation and learned to walk with a prosthetic. In February 2025, he joined the seasonal Antarctic expedition.
Lyshenko will oversee the operation of the new engines at the Vernadsky Research Base, as National Antarctic Scientific Center believes that his knowledge and experience are “unique”.
“Thank you for your resilience, strength, and dedication to Ukraine and our shared Antarctic mission,” his colleagues wrote.
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