Initially arriving in Lviv, western Ukraine, the streets are bustling with tourists, bars and restaurants are packed, and shopping mall shelves are well-stocked. This lively scene makes it hard to imagine that this is a country that has endured four years of war.
But upon closer inspection, this city far from the front lines still bears many traces of war, such as generators and soldiers随处可见 on the streets, the crowds that instantly dissipate due to the midnight curfew, and the lively street scenes that can abruptly end with air raid sirens.
In fact, Lviv suffered its heaviest attack since the war began in March, with the Bernardine monastery, a UNESCO-protected site over 400 years old, ravaged by fire.
Lviv is arguably the best place to observe the "duality of war and peace" in the Russia-Ukraine war.
🟡 Lviv Mayor Sadovyi: Building the City into a "Strongest Support"
Andriy Sadovyi, who has been mayor of Lviv since 2006 with 20 years of experience, has played a key role in making Lviv a "great rear base" supporting the front lines.
Sadovyi noted that 20% of Lviv's municipal budget is used to purchase military equipment and send it to the front lines. At the same time, the city has taken in 27,000 wounded soldiers and civilians from across the country, launching a comprehensive medical program called "Unbroken."
He visited Taiwan in 2024 to establish a sister city relationship with Kaohsiung. During an interview, he mentioned being deeply impressed by Taiwan's outstanding medical technology and expressed hope for further cooperation between Lviv and Taiwan, including attracting Taiwan's medical, drone, and tech industries to set up operations, and sharing the urban resilience experience learned on the battlefield with Taiwan.
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, he said he always hopes for peace, but a ceasefire is not just a simple verbal agreement. "We need to show our strength. Russia only understands strength; all authoritarian countries only understand strength. Even though we love democracy, to protect democracy we need to be stronger tomorrow than today," he firmly believes democracy will ultimately prevail.
However, even though Sadovyi is confident about the war, Lviv has paid a heavy price.
1 in 10 Citizens Go to the Front: Lviv Pays the Price of War
Stepping out of the mayor's office, a wall is covered with rows of photos documenting citizens who have been disabled by the war and are striving to rebuild. Some have formed wheelchair basketball teams, others dance with their new wives wearing prosthetics. But those who can return home safely from the battlefield are already considered lucky.
About 10%, or 58,000 Lviv residents, are on the front lines. Sadovyi and citizens stand daily in the square in front of City Hall to mourn the Lviv residents who have died on the battlefield.
On June 19, three citizens made the ultimate sacrifice. Three hearses drove into the square, followed by family members of the deceased and soldiers returning from the battlefield.
Cemetery After Cemetery Fills Up; Most Fallen Soldiers Are Under 40
Afterward, a Lviv official quietly remarked that Lviv, far from the war zone and mostly spared direct conflict, maintains a surface peace. But when as many as 10% of citizens have gone to war, everyone knows someone—directly or indirectly—who has been disabled or killed, or has family or friends affected by the brutality of war.
In the early stages of the war, Lviv City Hall initially planned only one cemetery for fallen soldiers. As the war continued, the second cemetery is now full, and a third is being planned.
Some Taiwanese media participated in a memorial ceremony at the military cemetery. When they discovered that many of the fallen soldiers were under 40, they couldn't hold back their tears...
🟡 Ukrainian Lieutenant Serhii: Endured 20 Surgeries, Vows to Return to Battlefield After Recovery
The Unbroken medical complex on the outskirts of Lviv is the largest medical facility in Ukraine. It was formerly a Soviet Union joint hospital, renovated after the war and opened in May 2023.
The Unbroken complex includes emergency treatment, post-injury rehabilitation, a medical school, a prosthetics factory, psychological counseling, and social housing. It has treated over 940,000 patients to date and is raising funds to expand a sports therapy center and surgical building.
Taiwan Donates "Taiwan Friendship Building" to Help Ukrainian Soldiers Return to Life
Notably, Taiwan recently donated 5 million euros (approximately NT$180 million) to renovate an abandoned military hospital into the "Taiwan Friendship Building," which is expected to be inaugurated in August and will provide 51 beds.
Yaroslav Zelizko, deputy representative of the Unbroken Rehabilitation Center, said that 95% of the facility's patients come from other regions. In 2022, many injuries were caused by gunshots and landmines; now, more injuries are from drones, which are more complex to treat.
Because the facility treats many drone attack victims, there are many amputees using crutches or wheelchairs, and even some medical staff and workers walk slowly with prosthetics.
Soldiers Lose Themselves After War; Psychological and Art Therapy Helps Them Reaccept
While some soldiers return physically unscathed, they carry indelible psychological scars, suffering from PTSD. Therefore, the Unbroken facility also offers psychological therapy and art rehabilitation programs.
"We remind patients and their families that they cannot return to their former selves... But that doesn't mean they become worse, just different," explained Daryna Kikot, who oversees the art therapy program.
War trauma can damage neural circuits. Some patients say that after returning from the battlefield, they feel like two different people inside. Painting helps patients express their inner emotions and reaccept their different selves.
She showed patients' paintings: some were entirely black with red angry strokes, others depicted scattered human limbs and grimacing screams, showing the impact of the brutal battlefield on their minds.
Shattered Legs but Wants to Return to Battlefield
Among the rehabilitation patients at the hospital is Ukrainian armored forces Lieutenant Serhii (transliteration). He was wounded during the battle for Vuhledar in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine and was evacuated. He spent a year at a military hospital in Zakarpattia Oblast before coming to the Unbroken facility in February for better treatment.
He said in an interview that he was attacked by a drone-dropped grenade, resulting in comminuted fractures in both legs. He has undergone more than 20 surgeries—"so many that I can't remember." Although he was fortunate to keep his legs, one leg is now 1.2 centimeters shorter than the other.
When asked if he might return to the battlefield after such an ordeal, Serhii admitted he wasn't sure, especially since his eyesight is also affected. However, he expressed that if conditions allow, he still intends to return to the battlefield to defend his country.
