Study by EU4Recovery: Ukrainian veterans face growing challenges for reintegration

The number of veterans in Ukraine is growing due to the full-scale Russian invasion, as are the challenges facing their reintegration into society, says a new study on veterans’ adaptation to civilian life, developed by the ‘EU4Recovery – Empowering Communities in Ukraine’ programme.

The study ‘Adapting to civilian life: Entry points to strengthen veterans’ reintegration in Ukraine’ shows that:

• 34% of veterans report a lack of coordination among service providers during demobilisation, 33% complain about queues, and 32% about complex administrative procedures.
• 71% have physical injuries, and one-third report PTSD symptoms.
• Up to 41% of veterans under 60 face difficulties finding or keeping a job, while 25% cite the lack of jobs as a major barrier.
• Social benefits remain one of the key sources of household income for many.
• At the same time, veterans are showing a greater interest in entrepreneurship – 25% compared to 16% among men under 60 in the general population.
• Veterans also report lower trust in authorities and less tolerance towards corruption, while demonstrating a higher sense of civic duty.

The study aims to help to better identify veterans’ needs and to develop practical solutions that improve veterans’ professional, social, and economic reintegration.

The publication is also available in Ukrainian.

The study was conducted with the support of UNDP in Ukraine and the Centre for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD) within the flagship UNDP–EU partnership ‘EU4Recovery – Empowering Communities in Ukraine’.

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Press release