United to win: Latvia expands support program for wounded Ukrainian service members
In addition to previously organized flights for receiving patients, Latvia will introduce a separate flight for service members who, after a health assessment at Riga East Clinical University Hospital, or RAKUS, will be sent to specialized rehabilitation facilities for further recovery.
The hospital said that in late July, RAKUS received a group of 32 seriously wounded Ukrainian service members for the 41st time.
Since the start of the war, Riga East Clinical University Hospital has assisted 985 patients brought from Ukraine.
Specialists from various fields are involved in treating Ukrainian patients at RAKUS, including:
RAKUS representative Ilga Namniece said the decision to expand the patient admission program was made with regard to the experience Latvian medical and rehabilitation institutions have accumulated while treating and rehabilitating people injured as a result of the war in Ukraine.
Patients are brought to RAKUS through a private initiative by Arvis Rekets and Mārtiņš Medinieks, the founders of the charitable project M-Help.com.
Background
Ukrainian service members receive treatment abroad primarily through the international Medevac Ukraine medical evacuation program, coordinated by Ukraine's Ministry of Health, the European Commission, the World Health Organization (WHO), and partner countries.
Among the countries most actively receiving Ukrainian patients are:
These countries offer the most treatment, rehabilitation, and complex surgical procedures.
For Ukrainian patients, treatment, medical evacuation, and most related expenses are free of charge. The governments of partner countries, medical institutions, and international organizations participating in the Medevac program provide the funding.
Earlier, it was reported that Riga is hosting a temporary exhibition of specialized vehicles used by Latvian volunteers to rescue wounded Ukrainian service members on the front line. The event aims to draw the European community's attention to Ukraine's medical evacuation needs and raise charitable donations.
It is worth mentioning that about 82% of wounded and ill Ukrainian service members return to service after treatment.
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3 of August 2026
