Attachments
Key Messages
• Veteran reintegration must be holistic and cross-sectoral: Veterans’ needs span multiple domains and must be addressed through coordinated, interconnected solutions rather than isolated interventions.
• Trust, accessibility, and personalized support are foundational: Many challenges stem from veterans’ mistrust of institutions, lack of clear information, and the complexity of navigating systems. Solutions like case managers, peer-topeer support, and localized veteran spaces were proposed to build trust and ensure continuity of care across services.
• Psychological vulnerability is a central, cross-cutting barrier: Across all sectors, the difficult psychological state of many veterans was identified as both a root cause and a consequence of service access gaps. Addressing this requires early intervention, family involvement, sustained psychosocial support, and cultural change to reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking. Veteran’s Reintegration in Frontline Areas: What’s next? Findings from the post-assessment workshop March 2025 | Ukraine
Context and rationale
As of May 2024, there were about 1,2 million veterans in Ukraine according to the Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs, Maksym Kushnir, marking a twofold increase since the escalation of hostilities in February 2022. The Ministry of Veterans Affairs projects that the number of veterans and their family members will rise to 5-6 million in coming years1 .
The findings of the Veterans’ Reintegration Assessment published in March 2025 highlighted that the system of service provision for veterans in frontline oblasts is extensive and improving, but does not fully meet veterans’ needs in several domains, while demand for services is expected to continue to increase. The most frequently mentioned needs of the veterans, that were not fully met, included healthcare and rehabilitation services. In addition, veterans faced several barriers in accessing services - most commonly bureaucracy, physical accessibility issues, and information gaps. While some of the bureaucratic challenges have been addressed by new legislation, particularly with regards to digitalised system of receiving the Participant of Hostilities status, issues with quality and accessibility persist, suggesting the need for a streamlined and integrated approach to addressing barriers to provide for veterans’ often complex needs.