Vitalii Khmel

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]

• Order of Danylo Halytsky (29 April 2024)^[5]
• National Legend of Ukraine (21 August 2024)^[3]