Ukraine Will Reintegrate Millions of Veterans. They Can Drive the Country’s Recovery.
Ukrainian Resilience
August 24, 2026
A veteran walks on crutches on a busy street in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 14, 2026. © Daniel Yovkov/Hans Lucas/AFP/Getty
By the end of the war, the number of veterans and their family members in Ukraine may total 6 million. Their reintegration could boost Ukraine’s resilience, or introduce instability, depending on how the country chooses to address it.Veterans—having served across Ukraine, and a living embodiment of its endurance—are uniquely placed to understand the diverse needs of communities trying to pick up the pieces.Despite Russian narratives portraying Ukrainian veterans as security threats to Ukraine and to the EU, Ukrainian polls indicate that the Armed Forces remains one of the country’s most trusted institutions. Many veterans are already playing key roles in politics, business, and civil society, including establishing civic organizations and veteran associations.Still, Ukrainian veterans face real challenges: physical and mental scars, barriers to housing, employment, and education, and difficulty reintegrating back home.Today, service providers, families, communities, and veterans themselves are working to shape the country’s new veteran reintegration strategy. We spoke about its challenges and opportunities with three Ukrainians—a former prisoner of war, the head of a rehabilitation clinic, and a former minister of veterans affairs.
