Five Ukrainian war veterans, who each lost a leg in combat in the Russo-Ukrainian War, flew to Oregon to learn how to ski on an outrigger — skiing equipment designed for amputees. The soldiers — (Artum) Pohorilly, Denys (Denis) Kryvodubskyi, Oleksander (Alexis) Shvachka, Stanislav (Stas) Povkhan and Mykhalio (Misha) Danilo — came through Corvallis Sister City Association exchange program with Uzhhorod, Ukraine. 

Saturday, March 8, was the skiers’ last day of lessons with Oregon Adaptive Sports. It was also Hoodoo Ski Area’s carnival day, which is typically its busiest day of the year, according to Sydney Poireir, due to festivities and carnival activities, which include fireworks and toboggan racing. The Ukrainian skiers also watched the toboggan downhill jump race and enjoyed the Saturday end of night fireworks, after spending their last instructional day demonstrating their skill and techniques with the outrigger equipment. 

 Two Ukrainian ski instructors accompanied the skiers in order to learn the techniques from OAS instructors so they could bring the skills back to Ukraine for other wounded soldiers where nearly 380,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been injured since the start of the war, according to NBC.