41% of Ukrainians surveyed assume that they may become a veteran in the future, while 53% share the opposite opinion.
These are the results of the fourth nationwide survey “Image of Veterans in Ukrainian Society” conducted by the Sociological Group “Rating” in cooperation with the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
Geography of respondents
Residents of the western regions, the youngest respondents, men, and those with relatives and friends who have fought since 2014 and up to now are most likely to talk about the possibility of becoming a veteran.
“Particular attention should be paid to the disturbing trend of declining trust in ATO/JFO veterans, according to the survey. This may indicate the growing stigmatization of veterans and potentially deepening problems with their socialization and adaptation. If this trend continues, we may witness similar scenarios for veterans currently at war after they return home,” says Ruslana Velychko-Tryfoniuk, acting executive director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
Despite the increase in the number of families with people who are fighting, the survey shows a decrease in the level of absolute trust of the civilian population in veterans of various categories and the military.
“76% of respondents believe that society today respects veterans. At the same time, compared to the survey in September 2023, their number has hardly changed (in September, it was 79%). Today, 18% share the opposite opinion. The number of such people is higher among the residents of the western regions and young people,” emphasized Lyubomyr Misiv, Deputy Director of the Sociological Group “Rating”.
Problems veterans will face
67% of Ukrainians believe that one of the main problems for veterans will be misunderstanding by society. At the same time, a survey conducted by the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation in January 2024 among veterans showed that 63.3% of veterans would face misunderstanding from society.
“We regularly conduct nationwide surveys among the civilian population and analyze the needs and attitudes of veterans. We are currently witnessing an increase in the stigmatization of defenders. For example, according to the results of a nationwide survey, 86% of Ukrainians believe that veterans will face psycho-emotional instability, while the latest analysis of veterans’ attitudes shows that only 50.5% of veterans consider this problem likely,” says Yulia Kirillova, head of the educational and analytical department of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
More details on the survey can be found on the website of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
The survey was conducted on March 2-5, 2024. The sample is representative in terms of age, gender and type of settlement. Sample population: 1000 respondents. Survey method: CATI. The error of representativeness of the survey with a confidence level of 0.95: no more than 3.1%.
