A story about a real man: A veteran of the SVO took up skiing after a foot amputation.

Alik Kuvandykov, a member of the Special Military District from Yekaterinburg, was seriously wounded at the front—medics had to amputate his right foot. Despite this, he returned to the Urals and continues to play sports, recently learning to ski for the first time.

When Kuvandykov woke up in the hospital after being wounded, he was sure he'd never be able to walk again. But after several months of rehabilitation, the veteran turned to the Orion Humanitarian Initiatives Foundation, and they made him a prosthesis suitable for an active lifestyle and sports.

"It feels like I'm walking on my own leg. I don't even notice I have a prosthesis. I can climb mountains, play volleyball, or practice martial arts. I'm incredibly grateful to the foundation," Kuvandykov said.

The veteran even returned to karate. He practices the sport purely for his own enjoyment, to keep his body in shape. For a year, he sent videos to charities, showing how he practices punches and jumps rope during warm-ups.

Kuvandykov said he loves skiing in winter, and the foundation offered to organize a skiing trip down a mountain slope. The veteran was initially surprised, but then admitted he wanted to try it—and he succeeded! Despite wearing a prosthetic, he completed the skiing trip in the Chelyabinsk region.

Orion is a foundation whose activities are aimed at supporting residents of new regions of Russia and those who contribute to the development and security of these regions.

The main areas of work are humanitarian aid, prosthetics and rehabilitation, events for children, assistance to orphanages and boarding schools, and the construction of sports and playgrounds.

The foundation's initiatives are supported by renowned athletes, musicians, bloggers, artists, and public figures. Ksenia Shoigu chairs the Orion Board of Trustees. It also includes actor Ivan Okhlobystin, artist and Duma deputy Dmitry Pevtsov, and Edgard Zapashny, director of the Great Moscow State Circus.