Theatre helps Ukrainian soldiers reintegrate

Gennadiy Odarenko sat in front of a microphone in a dark room in Kyiv, a spotlight shining on him as he spoke about the loss of his leg in battle.

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"I'm okay, just my leg is screwed," the 51-year-old said in a gentle voice, the slow strumming of a dulcimer accompanying him.

After he finished his one-man monologue, the audience applauded.

Odarenko is one of a handful of former and active soldiers telling their stories on stage for Veterans' Theatre, a project aimed at helping servicemen reintegrate back into civilian life after the trauma of war.

Launched in the spring by Kyiv-based drama group Theatre of Playwrights, the soldiers write and perform pieces personal to them, giving them an outlet for their emotions and a way to build their confidence.