Prince Harry salutes wounded Ukrainian veterans as ‘role models’ on surprise Ukraine visit

LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Britain’s Prince Harry hailed wounded Ukrainian veterans as society’s role models Sunday and said they need to continue receiving support from Kyiv as he wrapped up an unannounced weekend visit to the war-torn country.

It was Harry’s fourth visit to Ukraine since the war started and his second time in the western city of Lviv to meet with patients and staff at Superhumans Center, an orthopedic clinic that treats wounded military personnel and civilians.

“We’ve invested in them before they put the uniform on and we must invest with them once the uniform comes off,” Harry said during trials for the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style event he founded to inspire military veterans around the world to overcome battlefield injuries.

Harry, a British Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, watched wheelchair rugby players clash on Saturday and pickleball players — many with prosthetic limbs — compete to represent Ukraine at next year’s Invictus Games in Birmingham, England.

The Duke of Sussex grabbed a paddle and teamed up with a player with an amputated arm as they competed against two men who had each lost a leg.

“I asked him to play and he didn’t refuse,” said Oleksandr, a 49-year-old veteran from Odesa with an amputated leg. “He talks to people, he isn’t like a royal personage. He loves ordinary people. He is completely different.”

Harry hailed the resilience of Ukrainians and hoped the war would soon end.

“The rest of the world will continue to support you,” he said. “In my mind you’ve already won.”

Harry met Kostiantyn Vlasenko, who was the first Ukrainian airlifted by drone from the front lines near the village of Synkivka in the Kharkiv region.

Harry called Vlasenko “impressive” to which the soldier replied, “stubborn.”

Vlasenko was seriously wounded in combat in February with injuries that eventually forced the amputation of both his feet — one that he performed himself, according to the office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who awarded him the Hero of Ukraine honor, the nation’s highest honor.

Vlasenko maintained his position for 232 days hiding from the Russians and relaying important observations to his fellow troops until he was flown out in early October.

“I have a huge amount of admiration and respect for you,” Harry told him.