SAN ANTONIO — Two Ukrainian military surgeons visited San Antonio on Feb. 17, 2026, to share battlefield trauma care practices developed during the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine with local physicians through a medical exchange program organized by Razom for Ukraine.
Dr. Yuriy Yarmolyuk, chief traumatologist of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Dr. Valentyn Rohozynskyi of Ukraine’s National Military Medical Clinical Center presented their experiences treating combat injuries during an event for medical professionals. The program, known as Co-Pilot, facilitates collaboration between Ukrainian and international doctors.
The event marked the program’s first visit to San Antonio, home to Brooke Army Medical Center, the U.S. Army’s primary medical center and one of two Level 1 trauma centers in the city.
Participants discussed surgical techniques, evacuation challenges and frontline medical adaptations developed since the start of the 2022 invasion. The exchange allows Ukrainian physicians to learn about U.S. advances in reconstructive surgery and medical devices, while American military and civilian doctors review trauma care methods used under battlefield conditions.
Dr. Joseph Alderete, an orthopedic surgeon at UT Health San Antonio and an Army veteran, said physicians examined how battlefield practices can apply to civilian mass-casualty incidents.
Since 2022, Ukrainian forces have sustained an estimated 500,000 casualties, including killed, wounded and missing, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Russian strikes have damaged hospitals and medical infrastructure, and medical facilities report staffing shortages and power disruptions.
Organizers said Razom for Ukraine coordinates about 150 international medical trips to Ukraine each year, bringing foreign physicians to areas near the front lines.
Speakers also addressed how drone warfare has affected evacuation timelines and trauma response. Ukrainian officials said expanded combat medical training for frontline troops aims to improve survival when evacuation delays occur.