From 7 to 10 January 2026, the winter stage of the "Power of the Elements" project — "Power of Winter" — took place in the Carpathians. This is a charitable therapeutic hike for veterans of the russian-Ukrainian war, created as a space for recovery through movement, nature and support among peers.
Ten veterans took part in the hike. The group stayed at a shelter in Plisce and went on radial trips to the peaks of Parenky (1,735 m) and Grofa (1,748 m).
The pace was safe and manageable, and the main focus was not on the kilometres, but on the condition: how a person feels on the road, what they can say, where they need support and how they find it.
The group was accompanied by veteran team leader and military psychologist Maxim Chubik. After completion, he summed up briefly and to the point: "The veterans' trip was a success... Climbing. Snow and frost. We shot a film. Everything went well. We lived on Plisce." Together with the Kuluar team, these days were indeed captured on camera as part of the filming of a documentary about the rehabilitation of veterans through nature and shared experiences. Participants could be filmed both during the route and in moments of lively communication and reflection. The team is now preparing the film — the first part of a trilogy that will tell the story of the heroes of the hike, their experiences during those days, and how it affected their self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities.
According to Igor Sluchik, the climbs to Grofa and Parenky tested the participants' endurance, trust and team support — in winter conditions, a lot depends on cooperation and attentiveness to one another.
The participants' feedback is very warm. One of the veterans wrote: "Thank you, Kuluar, for a unique winter fairy tale... Special thanks to team leader Maksym Chubyk... It was interesting, delicious, reliable... I hope we will travel together again." Another participant summed it up: "An incredible journey — adventure, new acquaintances, mountains, frost, priceless communication with people close to you."
"The Power of the Elements" is conceived as a long-term project. Two more stages are planned as part of the filming and rehabilitation programme: a veterans' kayaking trip down the Dniester River in the spring and a summer hike in the Carpathian Mountains as a continuation of the journey of adaptation and return to active life.
