Kyiv opens world-class MCOP center for prosthetics and recovery

On November 6, the Medical Center for Orthotics and Prosthetics (Washington, DC, USA) opened an international center for orthotics and prosthetics in Kyiv, Ukraine. During the opening ceremony, it was announced that the government of Iceland would provide a three-year grant of $11.6 million to the Future for Ukraine Foundation. The grant will provide high-tech prosthetics free of charge to 1,000 soldiers, including those with complex amputations.

This was reported by the Novyny.LIVE correspondent Anastasiia Zhydenko.

Opening of the international Medical Center O&P in Kyiv

The event was attended by representatives of Ukrainian business, Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine Denys Uliutin, Commander of the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major General of the Medical Service, Doctor of Medical Sciences and Professor Anatolii Kazmirchuk, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration Ihor Reva, as well as a delegation of distinguished guests from Iceland — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iceland to Ukraine Fridrik Jonsson and Embla Medical CEO Sveinn Solvason.

The Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted that the number of amputations among Ukrainian defenders is growing due to intense Russian drone attacks at the front and the inability to evacuate wounded soldiers from the battlefield in a timely manner.

"The example of our American colleagues motivates us to work even harder so that our veterans have a dignified place for recovery and a real prospect for the future," added Kazmirchuk.

The Ukrainian Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity reminded that the MCOP Ukraine Center hosted the first Interagency working group on prosthetics system in September 2025.

Founded in the United States in 2002, the MCOP Center has been manufacturing and customizing modern prosthetics for over 20 years, including for military personnel injured in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. For the past three years, the Center has provided prosthetics to Ukrainian soldiers who lost their limbs during the war with Russia. Currently, there are 11 MCOP centers in the US, and modern prosthetics are now available in Ukraine.

The center's primary mission is to provide prostheses and help restore independence, movement, self-confidence, and self-reliance.

Oleksandr Chaika, a veteran of the Russo-Ukrainian War, was the first to travel to the United States in 2022 to receive a prosthetic limb. He was wounded near Popasna in Luhansk region. According to Oleksandr, he had been denied prosthetic treatment in Ukraine, with doctors arguing that after such complex amputations — including the loss of part of the pelvic bone — it was nearly impossible to return a person to an active life.

However, the MCOP team proved otherwise. Thanks to their expertise, Oleksandr received a prosthesis, returned to a normal life, and had a son. He has returned to his favorite pastime, acrobatics, and now trains children and teenagers.

Oleksandr's story inspired the foundation’s volunteers and its US president, Olena Nikolaienko, to continue and expand their support for service members with amputations. It's a case after which the word "impossible" disappeared from our vocabulary.

During the official opening ceremony, MCOP founder Michael Corcoran, along with Oleksandr Chaika and Ukrainian veterans who had been injured and completed their recovery at the MCOP center, symbolically cut the ribbon.

One of the event's key announcements was the launch of a three-year program to support Ukrainian defenders during the opening of the Center. The government of Iceland, together with Embla Medical, launched a $11.6 million prosthetics grant program, 33% of which is funded by the government of Iceland.

Through this program, 1,000 Ukrainians — including veterans and civilians — will receive free lower-limb prosthetics. The Future for Ukraine Foundation will implement the grant program in Ukraine.

Embla Medical CEO Sveinn Solvason said their company is committed to creating a more sustainable prosthetics system in Ukraine. The opening of the MCOP center is an important step in this direction.

"Together with our partners, we are building long-term capacity to provide Ukrainians affected by the war with much-needed mobility solutions," he said.

To ensure the systematic implementation of this plan, MCOP Ukraine and the Kyiv City Military Administration signed a memorandum of cooperation regarding the selection of patients for prosthetics under the grant program.

The MCOP center in Kyiv spans over 1,000 square meters. The prosthetics workshop and physical rehabilitation area are located within the same space, where prosthetists and physical therapists work closely together — an integrated approach that helps patients achieve results faster.

The center employs 19 specialists, including three veterans who have gone their own way from limb loss to recovery and are now helping others regain their independence of movement. Once fully staffed, the team will be able to produce up to 65 prostheses per month.

MCOP Ukraine specializes in prosthetics for the lower and upper limbs. They handle complex cases, such as double and triple amputations, as well as high amputations at the hip or shoulder level. They also provide prosthetics for children and athletes.

A multidisciplinary approach is applied in working with each patient — the prosthetist collaborates closely with the physical therapist. Within the MCOP Ukraine prosthetics program, patients are taught how to use their prosthesis correctly, and the device is continuously adjusted to meet their individual needs.

The opening of the MCOP center in Ukraine is, above all, a chance for both military personnel and civilians with the most complex amputations to regain full lives and freedom of movement. It also represents the transfer of unique expertise and modern protocols that Ukraine has long lacked — from precise prosthesis fitting to rehabilitation and team training. As previously noted, the center operates according to international standards and brings together a multidisciplinary team to shorten the patient's journey from injury to renewed activity.

Among those who have already undergone prosthetics at the MCOP is Greg Hudson, an American officer and veteran of the Iraqi campaign. He lost both legs while serving in Baghdad in 2007. Upon returning to the United States, he turned to MCOP specialists, who provided him with high-tech prostheses featuring the Power Knees system. These prostheses gave him the opportunity to live an active and independent life.

Read more:

Michael Corcoran, founder of MCOP, told exclusively for Novyny.LIVE how they make prostheses.

Earlier, Medical Forces reported, that around 70% of wounded soldiers in Ukraine return to military service.