Colorado medical volunteers in Ukraine experience realities of life in war zone

CHERASKY, Ukraine (KDVR) — Colorado volunteers on a medical mission in war-torn Ukraine this week have been getting an up-close look at the reality of life in a war-torn country.

For the last two days, they've set up make-shift medical clinics in the town of Cherkasy, Ukraine. In June, volunteers with the same charity, Global Care Mission, were in Cherkasy when a missile struck a downtown hotel .

Denver trauma victim advocate in Ukraine helping victims of war

"Could you imagine if you were in one of these rooms that was completely destroyed?" Lev Prystupiuk, medical director for Global Care Force, asked FOX31's Jeremy Hubbard Thursday, standing outside the rubble of the hotel.

Hubbard is traveling with the non-profit this week, reporting on their work bringing medical and trauma care to Ukrainian refugees displaced by Russian forces.

The contrast is striking. The hotel is now an exposed skeleton of broken bricks and bent metal from the missile strike that injured 19 people. Yet on the sidewalk out front, life goes on as if this was not a war zone.

But that's not the case inside a rehabilitation hospital in Cherkasy, where the volunteers meet soldiers recovering from injuries suffered during the war. One Ukrainian soldier is recovering from being shot after a Russian drone attack.

The soldier told Prystupiuk he was injured in combat behind enemy lines in Russia just weeks ago, his vehicle targeted by a drone.

"He got out from the car and started moving to a forest, but the enemies started shooting at them and one of the bullets hit his back here," Prystupiuk said, pointing to a long scar on the soldier's back.

Ukrainians are dealing with medical and mental struggles, big and small, nearly three years into this war.

Colorado volunteers undeterred by barrage of missiles, drones, air raid warnings in Ukraine

That's why a team of American and Ukrainian volunteers from the non-profit set up a makeshift clinic in the lobby of a refugee dormitory in Cherasky on Thursday morning. They spent hours consulting patients about their medical and mental health concerns and dispensed medicine to those who needed it. Many of the patients are among the 33,000 refugees who've arrived in Cherasky after being displaced by Russian forces in recent months.

"They're away from home, they've lost their homes. Now they probably still have loved ones that are at risk. So they've got all the reason in the world to be anxious and depressed," said Dr. Richard Randolph, a volunteer from Kansas City.

Each volunteer raised money to cover their costs to come here because they know almost everyone in this country needs help after a thousand days of war. The charity is looking for volunteer doctors, nurses, physician assistants and other medical workers to return to Ukraine next month. To learn more, visit their website .