Leonid Lysov, a resident of Mariupol who dedicated his life to sports, transitioned to professional massage in 1975. After founding his own school and training dozens of specialists, he opened the “Leonid Lysov Association of Massage Salons” in downtown Mariupol in 2020.
However, on February 24, 2022, his familiar world changed forever. Just one month later, amid heavy shelling and under occupation, he saw with his own eyes that his office had been completely destroyed and looted by Russian occupiers.
On May 16, 2022, Leonid finally managed to escape to Zaporizhzhia. For a time, he lived in Poland and Bulgaria, but his heart yearned for home. He made the firm decision to return to Ukraine, choosing the picturesque city of Chernivtsi as his new home. His story is shared by the Mariupol City Council.
In Chernivtsi, demonstrating true Mariupol resilience, Leonid Yukhimovich began rebuilding his beloved profession from scratch. Within just six months, this indomitable master opened his own massage therapy center right in the heart of Chernivtsi. Today, the center not only promotes the health of civilians but also provides therapeutic massages and rehabilitation for wounded servicemen. For Mr. Leonid, this is a very personal story, as his son is an active-duty soldier currently defending Ukraine on the front lines.
“Serving people with my skills is my main motivation. And when people thank me for my help—that’s the greatest reward!” says Leonid Yukhimovich, sharing his philosophy on life.
The master has ambitious plans ahead: to launch a large-scale initiative with international grants to expand free rehabilitation services for our wounded defenders.
Leonid Lysov’s story proves that while one may lose the walls of one’s home office, it is impossible to take away a person’s tremendous professionalism, dignity, and passion to serve their country. Together, step by step, we are forging our shared future—on the front lines and behind the lines, through our daily work!
The Ukrainian people are hardworking and indomitable!
Together Toward Victory!