A camp teaches Ukrainian soldiers who were blinded in combat to navigate the world again
Over several weeks, the men would learn to navigate the city of Rivne, prepare their own meals and use public transportation while travelling solo. A trainer holds out his arm to prevent Ivan Soroka, a former Ukrainian soldier blinded in the war, from colliding with a pole on the streets of Rivne, Ukraine, Friday, July 21, 2023. RIVNE: Along a bustling street in a western Ukrainian city, Denys Abdulin takes his first independent strides since he was severely wounded and blinded while fighting invading Russian troops more than a year ago. The 34-year-old former soldier, wearing black glasses and gripping a white mobility cane, steps onto a more crowded stretch of sidewalk. His movements become tentative and tense. He accidentally blocks the path of a woman approaching an ATM to withdraw cash. Like many other pedestrians, she responds with a compassionate smile and gracefully moves aside. Gradually, Abdulin covers 600 meters (almost 3/10 of a mile), guided by a trainer wal...