July – August 2022
Research group and co-authors:
Spirina Kateryna, Ukrainian Veterans Fund
Znoviak Vladyslava, Ukrainian Veterans Fund
Kirillova Yuliia, Ukrainian Veterans Fund
Velychko-Trifonyuk Ruslana, Ukrainian Veterans Fund
Denys Gubashov, Texty.org.ua
The Russian-Ukrainian war provoked the emergence of a number of long-forgotten or completely unknown historical phenomena in Ukrainian public opinion. Such concepts as war, shelling, volunteers, veterans, became frequently used in everyday discourse and acquired new meanings. In particular, one of the most transformed was the concept of “veteran” and its derivatives. The relevance of the need to define the modern concept and characteristics of a veteran in the Ukrainian discourse since the beginning of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in Crimea and in the east of Ukraine is growing every year.
In this regard, at the end of 2019, the Representative Office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Ukraine, in cooperation with the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, with the financial support of the European Union (EU), supported the conduct of a comprehensive survey of conflict veterans on eastern Ukraine and their families. The purpose of the survey was to collect and analyze information on the socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics of veterans of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and their families, as well as the challenges they face during reintegration into society. According to the results of the survey, almost half of the respondents reported on biased or unfair treatment of veterans by representatives of various groups of society. The survey of veterans showed that they feel isolated from society and have a strong self-identification with their reference group. A large proportion of respondents agreed with the opinion that veterans can only be understood by those people who are at least somehow related to persons with military experience.
As a result, in 2020, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine proposed for public discussion the draft order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On approval of the Concept of formation and support of a positive image of a war veteran in society.” The main goal of the Concept is to form and support the citizens of Ukraine to have an unambiguously positive attitude towards war veterans as models of heroism and patriotism. Further studies of the image of a veteran and public opinion revealed that the vast majority of veterans today are people aged 25-45, on the other hand, a large proportion of Ukrainians associate veterans primarily with elderly people, veterans of the Second World War. With the increase in the number of veterans in Ukrainian society, the general image of a veteran and his perception in society also changed. As of July 1, 2022, the number of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war was 438,834. Russia’s full-scale offensive on February 24, 2022 accelerated existing trends and entrenched veterans as a social group in Ukraine for decades to come. Therefore, an important aspect of the implementation of an effective state policy in the field of social security for veterans is the monitoring of the environment of veterans, the determination of the current general image of veterans, their needs and problems faced by veterans and their close environment.
As a result, in the summer of 2022, the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation conducted a comprehensive study of the portrait of a veteran, forming a general image of a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war as of February 23, 2022, and identifying the key differences between this image and the perceptions of veterans in Ukrainian society. Thanks to the results of the study, an empirical basis was created for further analysis of changes in the attitude of Ukrainians to veterans, the needs of veterans and their relatives, as well as the effectiveness of tools for the reintegration into society of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
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АТО – Anti-Terrorist Operation
IDP – Internally displaced person.
SES – State Emergency Service.
SBSU – State Border Service of Ukraine.
AFU – Armed Forces of Ukraine
ІТ – Information Technologies.
USARP – United State Automated Register of Persons entitled to benefits.
NGU – The National Guard of Ukraine.
NPU – The National Police of Ukraine.
JFO – Joint Forces Operation
SSU – Ukraine’s Security Service.
PMO – Participants of Military Operations.
IE – Individual Entrepreneur
War veteran (further – Veterans) — persons who participated in the defense of the Motherland or in military operations on the territory of other states. War veterans include: combatants, war invalids, war participants.
Veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war — in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On the status of war veterans, guarantees of their social protection”, persons who took part in the Russian-Ukrainian war and received the status of a participant in military operations according to paragraphs 11, 19-22 of Article 6 (deminers, servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, servicemen of military prosecutors’ offices, members of the rank-and-file and senior staff of operational support units of anti-terrorist operation zones of the central executive authority, volunteers) and persons with disabilities as a result of the war, who received status in accordance with clauses 10-15 of the second part of Article 7
Internally displaced person (further – IDPs) – in accordance with the Law of Ukraine «On ensuring the rights and freedoms of internally displaced persons», An IDP is a citizen of Ukraine, a foreigner or a stateless person who left their place of residence as a result of or to avoid the negative consequences of armed conflict, temporary occupation, widespread manifestations of violence and human rights violations.
Defender of Ukraine (further — Defenders of Ukraine) – in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “About Defenders of Ukraine and their family members”, persons who fulfilled their constitutional duty to protect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the conditions of armed aggression.
Armed Forces of Ukraine (further — AFU) — military formation, which, according to the Constitution of Ukraine, is responsible for the defense of Ukraine, the protection of its sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability.
A person with a disability as a result of the war — persons from among active army and navy servicemen, partisans, underground workers, workers who became disabled as a result of injury, contusion, mutilation, illness, received during the defense of the Motherland, performance of military service duties (service duties) or related related to being at the front, in partisan units and formations, underground organizations and groups, etc.
Participant in combat operations – in accordance with Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine «About the status of war veterans, guarantees of their social protection» participants in combat operations are persons who took part in military tasks for the defense of the Motherland as part of military units, formations, associations of all types and branches of the Armed Forces of the active army (navy), in partisan units and underground and other formations such as in wartime and in peacetime.
A family member of a deceased war veteran – in accordance with Article 10 of the Law of Ukraine “About the status of war veterans, guarantees of their social protection” the status of a family member of a deceased war veteran is held by: parents; one of the spouses who has not remarried, regardless of whether a pension is paid to him or not; children who do not have (and did not have) their families; children who have their own families, but became persons with disabilities before reaching adulthood; children, both of whose parents are dead or missing; dependents of the deceased, to whom a pension is paid in connection with this.
In the period of July-August 2022, the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine in cooperation with the sociological group “Rating” and Texty.org.ua. by conducting a sociological survey, a comprehensive study of the portrait of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war was conducted. The purpose of the survey was to outline the image of a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war formed in Ukrainian society (as of February 23, 2022) according to such criteria as: age, gender, education, use of preferential rights, state of health, employment, existing needs and ways of solving them. In addition, the study involved determining the attitude of society towards veterans and opportunities to contribute to the formation of a respectful attitude; creating a basis for forecasting the needs of veterans and their families and promoting the creation of appropriate conditions for their livelihood, both in the conditions of full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation and in the conditions of post-war development of Ukraine.
The purpose of the study is a definition and analysis of the differences between the portrait of a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, outlined according to the results of the survey, and the image of a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war formed in Ukrainian society (as of February 23, 2022) according to such criteria as: age, gender, education, use preferential rights, state of health, employment, existing needs and ways to solve them.
To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set:
The object of our research is the empirically revealed characteristics that form the general portrait of a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Subject of our research is the differences between the characteristics of the general portrait of a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the perceptions of veterans in Ukrainian society.
The research design was a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. In particular, the study used:
The number of defenders who resisted the armed aggression of the Russian Federation/defended the independence of Ukraine with weapons in their hands reaches hundreds of thousands. Some of them continue to defend Ukraine, already having the status of veterans of the ATO/OOS, the other part from among the newly mobilized will receive the status of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war later, as long as active hostilities continue on the territory of Ukraine, their number may grow. As a result, veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war face new challenges in civilian life – problems of reintegration, consequences of injuries and a course of rehabilitation.
As of July 1, 2022, the total number of persons subject to the provisions of the Law of Ukraine «About the status of war veterans, guarantees of their social protection” reaches 851,068 people (war veterans and members of veterans’ families). Of these, there are 438,834 people who are directly participating in the military operations of the ATO/OOS as of July 1, 2022. There are 7,072 people with disabilities as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and there are 111,530 family members of deceased (deceased) war veterans. (See Table.1)
Considering that the hostilities on the territory of Ukraine continue, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine face the task of liberating the territories occupied by Russia in the south and east of Ukraine, we can assume that the number of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war will grow, and their needs in civilian life will change in accordance with the requirements time.
Table 1.
№ | Category name | Number | Women | Men |
1 | Participant of military operations in all categories | 512 997 | 43 216 | 469 781 |
2 | Participants of ATO/OOS hostilities | 438 834 | 37 301 | 401 533 |
3 | A family member of a deceased war veteran | 111 530 | 103 101 | 8 429 |
4 | A person with a disability as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war | 7 072 | 242 | 6 830 |
5 | Injured participant of the Revolution of Dignity | 755 | 49 | 706 |
All veterans and their family members | 851 068 | 286 036 | 565 032 |
Data source: Analytical information according to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine
Today, among the veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war there are representatives of all age groups. In terms of percentage, the largest number of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are representatives of the age group – 31-40 years (34.5%), and representatives of the age group 41-50 years (31.1%). The smallest age group is 61+ years – 1.5%. Instead, about 22%, i.e. 1/5 of the number of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, are young people aged 19 to 30.
In summary, it can be stated that veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are mostly young people of working age, with the opportunity to study, retrain, build a family and develop their own business.
The absolute majority of both Defenders of Ukraine and veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are men. In her address, during the round table “Male and Female Defenders” on October 13, 2021, Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar noted, “Equal opportunities to defend the state is a basic element of national stability and sustainable development”. Deputy Minister also emphasized that “15% of the personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are female servicemen. “We currently have 56,000 women working, including both civilian personnel and military personnel. Among them, 31,000 military personnel are 15% of the total workforce. If we talk about civilian personnel, there are almost 25,000 women.”
At the same time, women make up about 9% of the total number of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Two years ago, on April 1, 2020, about 16,500 women had the status of combatant of the ATO/OOS – 4.2% of the total number of combatants). Over the past two years, the number of women among veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war has almost doubled. Taking into account the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation on February 24, 2022, which provoked the mass voluntary mobilization of Ukrainians into the ranks of the AFU, territorial defense and other security forces, we can assume that the number of women among the Defenders of Ukraine and veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war will continue to grow. Therefore, it is necessary to apply gender-oriented approaches in the formation of the state policy of social protection of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The basis for this can be further research into the needs of veterans, both men and women.
*the total percentage is more than 100, since respondents could choose several answer options
The full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine from February 24, 2022 forced most veterans to return to service, because their combat experience in confronting the aggressor is exemplary and necessary. According to the online survey conducted by the Ukrainian Veterans Fund in July-August 2022, almost 60% of the surveyed veterans are already mobilized to the ranks of the AFU and other military units, 14% are working, 9% are volunteering, 7% are information resistance. Another 7% of surveyed veterans lost their jobs because of the war. At the same time, some of the interviewees combine several areas of employment, in particular, they work and volunteer.
Among those surveyed by the Ukrainian Veterans Fund of Defenders from among veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war and those who do not yet have veteran status, there are representatives of completely different fields. The largest number of interviewed veterans are servicemen of the AFU and other military units (NGU, State Emergency Service, DPSU, NPU, SSU) – 31%. This may indicate that they are military personnel, and this is their main occupation.
Data source: Results of the online survey of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
According to the results of the survey, in addition to military service, veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are engaged in the development of their own business (16%), work in the fields of IT (11%), construction (8%), logistics (7%), as well as in the field of education and science, in the protection and security system. On the other hand, 13% of the surveyed defenders who do not currently have the status of a veteran. Among Defenders, IT workers predominate: 16%, IEs (self-employed persons) – 18%, construction – 13% .
So, according to the results of the survey conducted by the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, it can be stated that the majority of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are men. Although the share of women among veterans is growing rapidly, today they are about 10% of the total number of veterans. Among the veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war there are representatives of various age groups, but the vast majority are young people of working age from 30 to 45 years old. Veterans also vary in the field of employment, among them are not only professional soldiers, but also entrepreneurs, educators, IT workers, construction workers, etc. If we talk about a direct portrait of a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, then it is worth imagining a man or a woman, young or middle-aged, who, regardless of the profession or field of activity, is currently mobilized again for the protection of the Motherland, is engaged in volunteer activities or works for the benefit of the state.
According to the results of an online survey of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war most often mention the need for family help – 27%. Help with housing (24%), legal help (22%), psychological support (17%) and medical (15%) are also urgent. On the other hand, 23% of the surveyed veterans indicated that they are doing well, which may indicate the absence of a need for help or the presence of other unforeseen needs.
Data source: Results of the online survey of the Ukrainian Veterans Fund. The number of options to choose from is 3.
At the same time, taking into account the answers of the veterans’ family members and from among the family members of the Defenders of Ukraine (including the families of the fallen (deceased) Defenders of Ukraine), it can be seen that the relatives and friends of the veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are mostly in need of information and psychological assistance – 39% and 38%, respectively. Also, 21% need material support, 20% need legal support, and 15% need help with housing.
Data source: Results of the online survey of the Ukrainian Veterans Fund. The number of options to choose from is 3.
Summing up, it is worth noting that the greatest need of veterans is primarily the provision of the needs of relatives and friends, who, according to the results of the survey, especially lack psychological and informational support. In second place, for both veterans and their families, is the need for legal and housing assistance. Therefore, state programs of free legal and informational and advisory assistance need to be reviewed and improved, in particular with regard to their availability and effectiveness. The analysis of state policy in the direction of providing housing for servicemen and veterans in particular requires special attention.
According to the provisions of Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine «About the status of war veterans, guarantees of their social protection» the list of benefits for participants in military operations, persons with disabilities and persons equated to them includes: free receipt of medicines, prosthetics, sanatorium-resort treatment, discounts on payment for the use of housing, communal services, non-competition admission to state and communal institutions of higher and professional pre-higher education etc. Thus, according to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, as of July 1, 2022, more than 60% (277,118 out of 438,834 people) of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are recipients of benefits provided for by Ukrainian legislation.
According to the results of an online survey conducted by the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, veterans most often use subsidies for housing – 68%, receive pensions – 20%, psychological assistance – 14%, benefits for education are used by 9%, do not use benefits – 14%.
Data source: Results of the online survey of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. The number of options to choose from is 3.
According to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, as of on August 1, 2022, more than 16,000 veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are internally displaced persons, therefore, the issue of housing and housing subsidies in new places of residence is acute. Also, for IDPs, there is an urgent need for employment and places to care for children or other family members, which is also confirmed by the results of the survey – about 12% of the surveyed members of veterans’ families need help with employment.
Summing up, it should be noted that despite the fact that a large percentage of veterans and their families use housing subsidies (68%), the need for housing assistance for both veterans and their family members is noted as one of the most common and priority. At the same time, based on the responses of the interviewees, the need for psychological help significantly exceeds the percentage of users of psychological rehabilitation benefits. In particular, 17% of veterans noted the need for psychological help, on the other hand, among the surveyed family members of veterans, 38% need psychological support, and only 14% of veterans and their family members collectively use preferential psychological rehabilitation services. We assume that families of veterans also lack information about available free state and public centers providing psychological support services. Taking this into account, it is necessary to strengthen the nationwide information campaign regarding the possibilities of obtaining free psychological support, in particular on the psychological support hotline of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
The need for legal and informational assistance deserves special attention. Given the fact that about 14% of the respondents indicated that they do not use the benefits, we can assume that this indicator may be partially due to a lack of information about the opportunities to receive benefits and ways to apply for them. Therefore, one of the priority topics of the state policy of social protection of veterans and their families is the provision of high-quality informational, consulting and legal services. The lack of information and legal support may also be the result of a low percentage of those who took advantage of preferential cash payments (6%), because the need for financial assistance for veterans’ families, according to the results of the survey, is much higher (it was noted by about 20% of the surveyed members of veterans’ families). Therefore, today there is a general need to review the state preferential programs of assistance to veterans and their families in terms of their effectiveness, comprehensiveness and orientation to the needs of the target audience, in particular regarding the informational support of these preferential programs.
According to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, as of January 1
In 2022, almost 13 thousand (12,789) individual entrepreneurs or self-employed persons from among veterans and their family members were registered. 50.4% of entrepreneurs operate in the field of retail trade (except trade in motor vehicles and motorcycles), 30.2% – wholesale trade, except trade in motor vehicles and motorcycles, 20.9% carry out transactions with real estate. A significant share of the employment of veterans is in the field of information technologies. In particular, 18.9% – provision of information services, 16.9% – computer programming, consulting and related activities.
Most of the veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war interviewed by the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation plan to return to their previous place of work after the victory. The most attractive areas for the work of veterans remain the field of information technology, self-employment, military service, and the field of services. 74% of surveyed veterans who worked in the IT field plan to return to this field, while only 5% do not plan to return, 21% are undecided. Also, 74% plan to return to their own business (individual entrepreneurs or self-employed persons), 10% do not plan, and 16% are undecided. 69% plan to continue their career as military personnel in the ranks of the AFU, and 50% – in units of other security forces. 66% of respondents plan to return to the service sector, only 5% do not plan to return, 28% are undecided.
Since almost half of those surveyed either do not plan or could not answer affirmatively about returning to the field of activity, programs to support businesses founded by veterans, retraining opportunities and courses, and training programs for development in new fields are appropriate. Moreover, a significant part of veterans plans to continue their military career in the ranks of the AFU and other military units, so it is important to create accessible and comfortable conditions for the reintegration and rehabilitation of veterans, both in civilian life and in service.
Data source: Results of the online survey of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
According to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, 3,328 war veterans used the state program for professional (course) training for 2021. The majority of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war who underwent professional (course) training chose the following practical skills: driving lessons – 2,820 people, learning foreign languages – 198, training in the field of IT – 86 veterans, knowledge of management and administration – 37. So, in the 2021-2022 academic year, war veterans used the state targeted support for obtaining professional (vocational and technical), professional pre-higher and higher education: “professional junior bachelor” – 227 people, “bachelor” – 10,219 people, “master” – 24 persons. Also, among the children of war veterans, they received a “professional junior bachelor’s” education -3,463 people, “bachelor” – 7,257 people, “master” – 305 people.
It is worth noting that these quantitative indicators in relation to the total number of veterans are very low. Although, according to the survey of veterans, there is no widespread need for education, the interviewed members of veterans’ families note that they use benefits for education – about 9%. It can be assumed that veterans, as well as their families, still lack information about available educational opportunities. At the same time, it is expedient to increase veterans’ access to retraining courses, professional development, in particular, gaining international experience. Opportunities to improve knowledge in the chosen field within the framework of additional educational courses on a preferential basis are also important. Particular attention should be paid to the creation of conditions for the career development of military veterans.
Data source: Data from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs
In accordance with the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated March 31, 2015 No. 149 «On the approval of the Procedure for the use of funds provided for in the state budget for the implementation of measures for the provision of social and psychological assistance by centers of social and psychological rehabilitation of the population» (with changes) 5 centers of social and psychological rehabilitation of the population, which are financed from the state budget, belong to the sphere of administration of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. The Ministry is the main administrator of budget funds and the responsible executor of this budget program. According to the results of the implementation of the specified budget program from 2018, the budget program for psychological rehabilitation cannot provide for all veterans, and the need is greater than the supply. Taking into account the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation on February 24, 2022 and its consequences for Ukrainian society, the budget program for the psychological rehabilitation of veterans needs an urgent review in order to effectively meet the needs of veterans.
*in 2017, the restructuring of the program took place, due to which indicators were not collected
Data source: Data from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs
According to the sociological survey of the “Rating” group, respondents include different categories of combatants in the term “war veteran”: for a third, it is an association with veterans who are fighting now, and for another third, it is, first of all, veterans of the Second World War. Another 14% associate the term with veterans of the ATO/OS of 2014-2021, only 2% – with veterans of Afghanistan, 12% – with other categories of combatants, 8% – could not answer. It is interesting that for young people, a “veteran” is more often a participant in the Second World War, and for the oldest – someone who is fighting today. Residents of the east and south also speak more often about veterans as participants in the Second World War, while respondents from the west and center use this term to refer to fighters who are fighting for Ukraine today.
Data source: The 16th national survey in conditions of war, conducted by the Sociological Group “Rating” on August 6-7, 2022.
When talking about veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, respondents first feel gratitude (64%) and pride (50%). A quarter feel sad when they meet veterans, the same number feel joy. Respondents mentioned other feelings less often: 3% feel guilt when meeting a veteran, 2% each feel shame and fear, only 1% each feel indifference, anger, dislike. Women talk more often about sadness for veterans than men. Also, those who have loved ones among the veterans of the ATO/OOS of 2014-2021 feel sadness somewhat more often. Those who have friends who fought in 2014-2021 and continue to fight, feel gratitude and pride more often than others.
Data source: The 16th national survey in conditions of war, conducted by the Sociological Group “Rating” on August 6-7, 2022.
Half of the respondents believe that unemployment is a likely problem for veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, a little less than half – consider it unlikely. Half of respondents consider problems such as conflicts in the families of veterans and abuse of alcohol or drugs as likely. Regarding the risks of suicide and breaking the law, most consider it unlikely for veterans. Residents of the east and men speak more often about the possibility of the mentioned problems. Also, the presence of all these problems is felt more acutely by relatives of ATO/OS veterans who are no longer fighting and adapting to life, while relatives of those who are still fighting are more optimistic about potential risks, perhaps underestimating them yet.
Data source: Results of the online survey of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. The number of options to choose from is 3.
More than half of the surveyed respondents are ready to provide financial and moral support to veterans. Thus, 66% of respondents indicated that they are ready to help veterans directly or support foundations that work with veterans. 65% are ready to morally support veterans, 39% – to provide informational assistance. But only 6% are ready to help with employment, 16% with training, 4% with legal assistance, and 6% with medical assistance. Therefore, state programs for veterans on employment, education, psychological assistance, as well as involving the population in providing support to veterans and creating a favorable environment to ensure their needs in civilian life are relevant.
Thus, 94% of respondents noted that psychological help would be appropriate, for 83% of respondents, veterans’ reintegration programs are of great importance. The least, but a significant part of the respondents noted that an information campaign is appropriate – 50%.
Data source: Results of the online survey of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. The number of options to choose from is 3.
At the same time, among the future needs of servicemen and their families, the survey mentions measures to improve health – 48.9% of the surveyed servicemen and 42.6% of the surveyed members of their families. A significant number of respondents noted the need for housing – 42.6% of military servicemen surveyed and 28.2% of their family members voiced such a need. The lowest need, both among military personnel (6.7%) and their family members (12.3%), in understanding their relatives.
The most military servicemen and their family members will need health improvement (42-48% of respondents). Family members of veterans and servicemen will need psychological support more than (40%), while servicemen feel a future need for housing (42.6%). As well as employment and investment in business in the future, more military personnel are interested – 25.4% and 24.3%, respectively. The lowest need for both military personnel (6.7%) and their family members (12.3%) to be understood by relatives, which may indicate a high healthy family climate.
Data source: Results of the online survey of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. The number of options to choose from is 3.
Based on the results of a comprehensive study of the portrait of a veteran, we managed to outline the actual portrait of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war by conducting a direct survey of veterans. The online survey was conducted among 469 veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The largest number of surveyed veterans are servicemen of the AFU and other military units – 31%. According to the results of the survey, it was found that almost 60% of veterans mobilized for the defense of Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, but after the victory plan to return to their previous place of work.
According to data published by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs on its website, the total number of persons subject to the provisions of the Law of Ukraine «About the status of war veterans and guarantees of their social protection» reaches 851,068 people. Among them are 438,834 participants of the ATO/OOS hostilities. Thus, according to the results of the survey, the average veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war is, in the vast majority, a man of young working age – about 30-45 years old, who can be a representative of absolutely any field of employment, but is currently mobilized to the ranks of the AFU or is engaged in volunteering. Although the number of women among veterans has been growing rapidly in recent years, today their share of the total number is about 9%. Taking into account the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation on February 24, 2022, which provoked the mass voluntary mobilization of Ukrainians into the ranks of the AFU, territorial defense and other security forces, we can assume that the number of women among the Defenders of Ukraine and veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war will only increase in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to apply gender-oriented approaches in the formation of the state policy of social protection of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The basis for this can be further research into the needs of veterans, both men and women.
Speaking about the actual needs of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, which we managed to analyze based on the results of the survey, it is worth noting that the greatest need of veterans is primarily to meet the needs of relatives and friends, who, according to the survey, especially lack psychological and informational support. In second place, for both veterans and their families, is the need for legal and housing assistance. At the same time, according to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, as of July 1, 2022, more than 60% of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are recipients of benefits provided for by Ukrainian legislation. Therefore, state programs of free legal and informational and advisory assistance need to be reviewed and improved, in particular with regard to their availability and effectiveness. Having superficially analyzed the needs of the families of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war among the Defenders, the need for more thorough research into the needs of the families of veterans and the level of their provision in the conditions of the mobilization of veterans was revealed.
It is worth noting that veterans and their family members need more opportunities to access psychological rehabilitation services than is provided for by the state program, because as can be seen from the research, the request does not correspond to the offer. And in order to promote the popularization of involvement and respectful attitude of society towards veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, an information campaign and the opportunity for society to participate in the support and reintegration of war veterans are relevant. Also, the desire of society to be involved in the reintegration of war veterans is evidenced by the data of the online survey of the Ukrainian Veterans Fund, where more than half of the surveyed respondents are ready to provide financial and moral support to veterans.
If we talk about the image of a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war in public opinion, it is worth noting that the general ideas are quite different. Thus, according to the Sixteenth sociological survey of the “Rating” group, a third of respondents associate the term “war veteran” with veterans who are fighting now. However, for the other third, it is, first of all, veterans of the Second World War. When interviewees talk about veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the first thing they feel is gratitude and pride. Such data indicate the need to strengthen the information component of the implementation of the social protection policy for veterans, in particular, in the east and south of the country, as well as to pay attention to and adapt the information policy for the target audience among young people.
After analyzing whether the actual portrait of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war differs from the image formed in society, it was found that even after 8 years of war, the majority of Ukrainians do not associate veterans with young defenders of Ukraine, participants in ATO/OOS combat operations. In particular, such trends are observed in the vast majority among young people, although about 20% of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are young people under the age of 30. The public opinion of eastern and southern Ukrainians deserves special attention. For further national studies of Ukrainian society’s attitude to veterans, it is very important to analyze the presence or absence of significant changes in the image of a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war in the minds of people from the de-occupied territories of Ukraine.
According to the Law of Ukraine 2939-VI “About access to public information”a request to receive public information, the administrator of which is the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, was sent by e-mail.
A general description of the information requested in the distribution by regions as of August 1, 2022:
Questionnaire of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of war veterans, defenders, their family members and civilians
What does he do now?/ (Veterans’ residence)
Your field of activity outside of war:/ What is your field of activity before a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022: (Field of employment of Defenders.)
What support do you need to feel better? (Help needed by defenders):
What support do you need to feel better? (Help needed by the families of Defenders):
Tell us what benefits your family receives: (benefits enjoyed by veterans and their family members):
Do you plan to return to your work/study after winning? (Do veterans plan to return to their previous field):
What support are you willing to provide to veterans: (What help are civilians willing to offer?):
What programs, in your opinion, would be appropriate
Український ветеранський фонд
ЄДРПОУ 44565396
МФО 820172
UA388201720313231001301022947
в Державна казначейська служба України м. Київ
| Реквізити підприємства/ Company details Назва підприємства/ company Name УВФ IBAN Code UA863052990000025300015000517 |
| Назва банку/ Name of the bank JSC CB “PRIVATBANK”, 1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR., KYIV, 01001, UKRAINE |
| SWIFT code банку/Bank SWIFT Code PBANUA2X |
| Адреса підприємства/ Company address UA 01001 м Київ пров Музейний б.12 |
| Банки кореспонденти/ Correspondent banks Рахунок у банку-кореспонденті/Account in the correspondent bank 001-1-000080 |
| SWIFT Code банку-кореспондента/SWIFT Code of the correspondent bank CHASUS33 |
| Банк-кореспондент/Correspondent bank JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York ,USA |
| Рахунок у банку-кореспонденті/Account in the correspondent bank 890-0085-754 |
| SWIFT Code банку-кореспондента/SWIFT Code of the correspondent bank IRVT US 3N |
| Банк-кореспондент/Correspondent bank The Bank of New York Mellon, New York, USA |
| Реквізити підприємства/ Company details Назва підприємства/company Name УВФ IBAN Code UA453052990000025302035000647 |
| Назва банку/Name of the bank JSC CB “PRIVATBANK”, 1D HRUSHEVSKOHO STR., KYIV, 01001, UKRAINE |
| SWIFT code банку/ Bank SWIFT Code PBANUA2X |
| Адреса підприємства/Company address UA 01001 м Київ пров Музейний б.12 |
| Банки кореспонденти/Correspondent banks Рахунок у банку-кореспонденті/ Account in the correspondent bank 400886700401 |
| SWIFT Code банку-кореспондента/SWIFT Code of the correspondent bank COBADEFF |
| Банк-кореспондент/Correspondent bank Commerzbank AG, Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
| Рахунок у банку-кореспонденті/Account in the correspondent bank 6231605145 |
| SWIFT Code банку-кореспондента/SWIFT Code of the correspondent bank CHASDEFX |
| Банк-кореспондент/Correspondent bank J.P.MORGAN AG, FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY |