Shakhtar Stalevi, an amputee football team composed entirely of Ukrainian war veterans and military personnel, is pursuing the Ukrainian national championship title after rising from an amateur startup into a top-tier national contender over the past two years. Established by Ukrainian Premier League club FC Shakhtar Donetsk in early 2024, the team conducts rigorous training sessions despite severe physical challenges, supported by long-term sponsorship from the BTN Foundation.
The squad has already earned bronze medals in the Ukrainian Championship and reached the final of the Ukrainian Cup to secure silver. Head coach Bohdan Bilko confirmed that winning the national league championship remains the team's driving daily dream and primary objective as they continue to build their program in Kyiv.
The project officially launched on February 21, 2024, when the squad held its initial training session in Shchaslyve, a village in the Boryspil Raion of Kyiv Oblast that serves as a primary training base for Shakhtar Donetsk. FC Shakhtar became the first club in the Ukrainian Premier League, the top tier of professional football in Ukraine, to establish a dedicated amputee football section. The core mission of the project is to assist individuals who have undergone limb amputations in returning to an active, fulfilling life through competitive athletics.
Building a Team from Scratch
Bilko was appointed head coach at the inception of the program, making the transition from his previous position within the youth academy of FC Shakhtar. Because amputee football was an entirely unfamiliar discipline for him, Bilko had to master the physical and tactical rules of adaptive football from the ground up. He spent his early months researching instructional literature, consulting with leading coaches across Europe, and participating in a specialized online consultation arranged by FC Shakhtar with an experienced amputee football expert.
The squad features a lineup comprised exclusively of military veterans and active service members, a structure that Bilko identified as rare within European and global amputee football. Maintaining roster stability presents a continuous challenge, as players frequently depart for military duty, family obligations, or new personal pursuits. Bilko noted that during one single year, the core starting lineup had to be replaced three separate times due to high turnover caused by service deployments and frontline returns.
While some veterans transition into other sports following physical rehabilitation, many choose to remain with Shakhtar Stalevi due to the team atmosphere, which fosters psychological recovery and societal reintegration. IT investor and entrepreneur Roman Balashov, who supports the initiative through the BTN Foundation, stated that teamwork is the defining feature of Shakhtar Stalevi. Balashov noted that sport within the team represents more than training and matches, providing a network of supportive peers, shared goals, and a sense of belonging that must be expanded for veterans across the nation.
From Hospital Rehab to the Pitch
Among the veterans who have remained with the squad since its initial months is Andrii Herasymchuk. Football had played a minor role in Herasymchuk's life prior to his military service and injury, but his involvement began in the spring of 2024 when Andrii Pyatov, the legendary former Ukraine national team goalkeeper and current Shakhtar coach, visited the hospital where Herasymchuk was completing his rehabilitation. Pyatov invited Herasymchuk to attend a training session and try out for the squad.
Herasymchuk attended his first practice the following week despite experiencing initial feelings of fear, recognizing that football is a physically demanding sport. He explained that he considered himself fortunate because his right leg remained intact following his injury, allowing him as a naturally right-footed player to handle the ball more easily. However, he recalled that on the morning after his initial session, every muscle in his body suffered severe soreness.
Herasymchuk bonded quickly with his teammates due to their shared military backgrounds, with players frequently referring to one another by their combat call signs during practice. He explained that the players understand one another rapidly and operate on the same wavelength. He added that while individual squad members hold differing views regarding their personal futures and sports careers, their fundamental values remain completely aligned.
Adapting Football for Amputees
During a summer training session in Kyiv observed by reporters from the Ukrainian sports publication Tribuna.com, temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius, yet the workout proceeded without alteration. Outfield players navigated the pitch on forearm crutches while maintaining balance and controlling the ball with a single leg. Despite the oppressive heat and strenuous movement, players maintained high spirits, sharing jokes between training drills before returning to their exercises.
Adapting standard football tactics required significant innovation from Bilko, who previously trained youth players in standard eleven-a-side football. Outfield players rely on two crutches for movement while manipulating the ball with the inside, outside, heel, and sole of their single foot to maximize leg efficiency. Goalkeepers, who compete with upper-limb amputations, play using one arm while their upper body is secured with a medical bandage, requiring goalkeeping drills to be adapted from futsal, the indoor five-a-side sport known for fast reactions and close-quarters movement.
The squad maintains a regular training schedule even though members live in different regions across Ukraine. The team convenes twice each week for 90-minute training sessions, supplemented by a monthly two-day intensive training camp featuring friendly matches and intra-squad games. Between collective sessions, players follow individual fitness programs, with Herasymchuk combining his football routine with rock climbing.
Socialization and National Expansion
For Herasymchuk, the significance of the project extends beyond athletic competition and match results. He explained that after surviving combat, veterans must avoid remaining isolated with their thoughts and should actively engage in activities such as football, tennis, or running to manage post-traumatic stress and reintegrate into civilian society. He noted that participating in any structured sport provides a crucial impetus for moving forward in life.
The sporting achievements of Shakhtar Stalevi have yielded concrete results, with several individual players being selected to represent the Ukraine national amputee football team in international competitions. To build upon this success, the BTN Foundation established a long-term partnership with Shakhtar Stalevi this year to expand adaptive sports opportunities for veterans throughout Ukraine.
Working in partnership with Shakhtar Social, the non-profit community foundation of FC Shakhtar established to drive social development projects, the organizations created BTN:Start, a dedicated network of amputee football centers. Initial facilities have already been opened in the Kyiv Oblast communities of Bila Tserkva, Bilohorodka, and Irpin, establishing accessible local training hubs where veterans can engage in adaptive sports and community rehabilitation.
