The UK has led efforts to bolster a NATO-backed troop rehabilitation project, with Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden also sponsoring sites. 

NATO and the Defence Medical Services (DMS) – an organisation within the UK Ministry of Defence – are seeking a fifth country to back Operation Renovator, which provides support for Ukrainian rehabilitation facilities, DSEI Gateway has learnt. 

Renovator comes under NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine programme, with Ukraine setting out its needs and requirements to partners. 

The UK agreed to become the first executive agent (country) to back the programme in late 2023, with a DMS presence in Ukraine since 2024. It has since led efforts to bring other countries into the project, Colonel Simon Doyle the Project Director for the UK contribution to Operation Renovator told DSEI Gateway during DSEI UK 2025 in early September. 

The UK’s contribution has so far included construction work, equipment deliveries, virtual medical consultations for complex cases, and on-site training. 

To date, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden have also become sponsors of the programme and specific rehabilitation sites at undisclosed locations throughout Ukraine.  

As the newest Executing Agent for Renovator, Sweden, has now followed the United Kingdom, Norway and Lithuania in leading the modernisation of a Renovator rehabilitation site

A final site remains available to support, with DMS looking to champion the impact of Renovator for Ukraine’s war effort and its future, he said. 

An additional country would be vital at a time when Ukraine faces some of the heaviest strikes on its forces and infrastructure.  

It would also “help hundreds more wounded soldiers to continue defending their country and return to productive lives, as proud veterans, not as victims”, Col Doyle said, adding that it is one of the main goals of Operation Renovator.  

But aside from this, and perhaps more importantly, Col Doyle outlined that the longer-term mission is to help troops get “back to as much of their own lives as possible”, ensuring they are capable of contributing to Ukraine’s future.  

On results, Col Doyle said that “we are seeing early indications that time spent at the site as patients is reducing. We are increasing the capacity of the site by providing additional rehabilitation wards”. 

Verity Cannell, an occupational therapist in the complex trauma team working on Renovator, explained to DSEI Gateway how the project allows for temporary prosthetics to be provided whilst patients await their long-term prosthetics.  

The complexity of the cases at the rehab centre, combined with the constraints of treatment in a country at war, are a considerable challenge for the team on the ground. In spite of this, Cannell said that the additional equipment that DMS has been able to provide has had a significant human impact in getting veterans “back to meaningful independent activity”.  

These results appear to demonstrate the positive impact of the programme, with DMS championing the strategic and human benefits for any fifth country looking to sponsor the remaining site.