UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Jan. 12 — Canadian volunteer combat medic, callsign Cooper, serving with Ukraine’s 13th Khartiia brigade, has saved more than 50 soldiers since the beginning of his service in autumn 2025, the brigade’s press service told Gwara Media.

A 20-year-old Cooper came to Ukraine and joined the Khartiia brigade in the summer of 2025.

At the beginning of autumn, Cooper joined the Kupiansk operation of the search-and-assault group of the Kharkiv brigade.

During one of his combat missions, Cooper stepped on a mine.

He put a tourniquet on himself, stopped the massive bleeding, and began to crawl out of the danger zone on his own, calling for help. Soldiers from the Khartiia brigade found him, provided first aid, and pulled him to safety.

The next day, he was taken to a stabilization point. Later, doctors had to amputate his leg. However, Cooper wants to return to work after rehabilitation.

“I lost my leg. I can’t change what happened. I don’t regret anything. And I’m not done yet. I’m going to get a prosthetic leg. Lots of people do it, so why can’t I? There’s no reason not to,” said Cooper,” said Cooper.

During the Kupiansk operation from Sep. 22 to Dec. 12, 2025, the Khartiia brigade killed 1,027, injured 291, and captured 13 Russian soldiers.

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