Vitalii Volodymyrovych Khmel (Ukrainian: Віталій Володимирович Хмель) is a Ukrainian military thoracic surgeon, captain of the medical service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a participant in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Vitalii Khmel
Віталій Хмель
Born
Vitalii Volodymyrovych Khmel
Other nameRivas (Рівас)[1]
OccupationMilitary thoracic surgeon
AwardsOrder of Danylo Halytsky
National Legend of Ukraine

Biography

edit

He received his Candidate of Medical Sciences degree in 2021.[2]

Currently, he serves as a resident thoracic surgeon at the Main Military Medical Clinical Center (Central Clinical Hospital) of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.[3]

During the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, he performed more than 100 highly complex operations on wounded servicemen and saved the lives of more than 50 defenders during evacuation flights.[4] In December 2023, together with a senior colleague and under the supervision of sappers, he performed a unique and highly complex emergency operation. At the time, an unexploded mine from an under-barrel grenade launcher was lodged in the chest of a wounded soldier. The surgery was successfully completed, and the soldier's life was saved.[1]

Awards

edit

References

edit