Doctor says removal of "Glory to Russia" burn mark from Ukrainian POW will be painful

Ukrainian doctors have begun procedures to remove a burn mark that reads "Glory to Russia" from the torso of a recently released soldier. The scar is currently being prepared for more aggressive intervention.

Source: Maksym Turkevych, CEO of Neopalymi, a Ukrainian rehabilitation programme

Details: Turkevych told Ukrainska Pravda. Zhyttia that the soldier, named Andrii, is about 40 years old. He was injured and captured over 15 months ago. The burn mark was inflicted on him by a Russian surgeon.

Quote from Turkevych: "It was done under general anaesthesia using an electrocoagulator, a device used in modern surgery to remove tumours, nevi, warts, etc. The procedure was carried out not for the purpose of torture, but to leave a mark. It was likely performed by an experienced doctor, given the relatively even inscription and similarities with other scars. We have information about who the surgeon might have been. It is currently being checked by the competent state authorities." 

More details: Andrii has been in hospital since his release from captivity. Doctors are currently administering polynucleotide injections to soften the scar tissue and get it ready for further treatment. The effectiveness of the overall treatment will largely depend on this initial care.

The inscription will be removed with lasers, Turkevych says.

"This procedure is very likely to be painful and unpleasant," he added. "It is performed under local anaesthesia and in rare cases under general anaesthesia. Andriiʼs scars are keloids, and they absolutely cannot be operated on. Surgery would make them grow back bigger. That is why the treatment protocol is always complex, hybrid, and tailored to the individual patient."

Turkevych said traces of the scars will definitely remain. However, it is difficult to predict what they will be like or how quickly they will fade, as this largely depends on individual anatomical characteristics.

"We’ll have a clearer understanding after the first laser treatments. Our hypothesis is that we’ll have a tangible result in about six months’ time," Turkevych added.

Andrii’s treatment continues. He has been diagnosed with a groin injury, bladder rupture, hernia, and stretching of the white line of the abdomen. Psychologically, the defender is doing well.

Background: Andrii was brought back in a thousand-for-thousand exchange agreed between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul in May 2025.

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