Heart of Azovstal Launches Program for Post-Traumatic Growth

In 2014, Polupanov dedicated himself to defending Ukraine, and during the full-scale invasion, he found himself in Mariupol participating in the city’s defense and the breakout at Azovstal, ultimately becoming a prisoner of war.

Upon returning home, he faced the reality that due to his health, he could no longer serve in the Marine Corps. This realization initiated his own journey of post-traumatic growth.

“Throughout this journey, the thoughts of helping others guided me. I felt a strong need to support those who endured the horrors of captivity and returned home. Today, this has become the purpose of my life,” Polupanov shared.

The veteran explained that post-traumatic growth aims to help individuals regain control over their lives and use their experiences as a foundation for personal development.

“A person controls all the processes in their life, not illness or circumstances. For me, post-traumatic growth is the moment when an individual starts to build a new version of themselves and finds new meanings,” he elaborated.

As one of the trainers in the post-traumatic growth direction of the Heart of Azovstal program, Polupanov, after specialized training, now assists defenders from Mariupol who have returned from captivity or are undergoing rehabilitation after injuries.

“Returning from captivity is just the first step. The most important thing is to bring a person back to a full life,” he emphasized.