Without work, without support: the reality of employment of veterans with disabilities in Ukraine

The full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine became a test for the entire society. Lost homes, shattered hopes, constant stress and uncertainty of the future. We all live with the thought of the end of this terrible ordeal, but for the military, this day is only the beginning of a new struggle. They went through the hell of war, saw the death of their comrades and felt what it was like to look into the eyes of the enemy. The war may be behind us, but its traces remain forever in the mutilated bodies and souls of those who passed through the horrors of the front.

Veterans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who risked their lives on the front lines, return home, where another front awaits them – the front of indifference. After all, many of them are faced with the fact that their exploits remained only headlines in the news. Instead, in real life they face unemployment, misunderstanding of those around them, and feeling as if they have become strangers in their own home. State aid often turns into endless queues and paperwork, and society, which yesterday admired heroes, now avoids talking about war. Returning to a normal life is a path full of pain and challenges. Adaptation becomes a difficult mission, because the world they return to will never be the same as it was before the war. Let’s try to understand in this article how veterans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine choose their right to a new life.

Real help or paper fantasies

As of 2024, there are 1,300,000 veterans in Ukraine, and this number is increasing relentlessly every day.  According to Ruslan Prykhodko, Deputy Minister of Veteran Affairs of Ukraine, 80% of the total number are mobilized people.  By data Ministry of Social Policy, only in the first two years of the war, the number of people with disabilities increased by 300,000, which is 10%.

The government reports on numerous programs to support military and veterans:

• UAH 5.7 billion was allocated by the Cabinet of Ministers for the purchase of housing;
• the comprehensive program for dental care for military personnel and veterans was expanded;
• from April 1, 2024, the amount of state social assistance for the children of fallen volunteer defenders was increased from UAH 2,361 to UAH 7,800 for one minor and to UAH 6,100 for each, if there are two or more children in the family.

But for some reason, there is no mention of help with career guidance and job search for Armed Forces veterans. After all, real socialization for a veteran will not be a banal receipt of a pension once a month, but a job that will give a person the opportunity to feel important for society, such that it brings benefits.

“About 70-80% of people with disabilities are able to work fully”, – says Olena Stepanenko, an expert from the Confederation of Employers of Ukraine.

Instead, for data At the beginning of 2024, the confederation of employers of Ukraine employed 448,200 people (17.4% of the total number of people with disabilities). For comparison, 53% of able-bodied people with disabilities work in Great Britain, 44% in France, and 23% in the USA. Accessibility for people with disabilities of the education system and the labor market, the appearance of inclusive buildings, accessible sidewalks, roads and transport – this is the stage of evolution that Ukrainian society has not yet reached.

In 2023, the State Employment Service was able to employ 7.7 thousand workers with disabilities, which is 0.5% of the 1.67 million able-bodied people with disabilities who still do not have a job, because employers simply dismiss such workers and do not want to create inclusive environments for them. Meanwhile, the country is on course for integration into Europe.

According to the survey of the job search site Work.ua, which was conducted among employers, regarding their willingness to hire war veterans, 46% of the surveyed companies already have veterans among their employees. The largest number of ex-servicemen are concentrated in the construction, transport and healthcare sectors.  88% of companies at the time of the survey indicated that they had plans to hire veterans. Also, 58% of companies noted that they are ready, even, to give priority to the candidacy of ex-military personnel for all vacancies, provided they have the appropriate level of professional skills:

• worker positions – 45%;
• all job categories – 38%;
• intellectual positions – 35%;
• administrative positions – 26%;
• management and service positions – 19% each;
• creative positions – 16%.

40% of employers indicated that they are ready to hire veterans, but only for some positions.

It has already become a good tradition for officials to report on the success of veterans’ support programs in the field of employment. So, for veterans with experience of running their own business, a state grant of up to UAH 1 million is provided, provided they create four or more jobs and invest 30 percent of their own funds.  There is also a grant for a garden (up to UAH 400,000 per hectare for the purchase of seedlings and agricultural equipment) subject to the provision of land documents, and a grant for a processing enterprise.

According to the Minister of Economy Yuliya Svyridenko, thanks to the grant program “Own Business”, which has been in existence for 2 years, 1159 veterans have already received more than UAH 550 million for the creation or scaling of businesses. In addition, the country also has an option to receive a training voucher for the purpose of retraining veterans. Such a voucher is intended for training in the fields of IT technologies, construction, transport, education, medicine, agriculture, and social services. The veteran chooses the profession, the educational institution within Ukraine and the form of education independently. Training is carried out by institutions of professional (vocational and technical), professional pre-higher and higher education. According to the Ministry of Economy, 22,000 Ukrainians received such a voucher and are acquiring a new profession or raising their professional level in order to be competitive in the modern labor market. The following are the popular professions studied with vouchers this year:

• nursing;
• psychology;
• preschool education;
• medicine;
• cooking;
• driving.

It seems that there are many opportunities for veterans: opening their own business or mastering a new profession. And employers are willing to welcome veterans with open arms. But in private conversations, ex-servicemen complain that there are almost no vacancies on the labor market that would take into account their experience and skills. Unfortunately, society is still guided by stereotypes and perceives veterans as those who returned with a broken body and psyche. While they do not notice at all that these are people who possess such strengths as discipline, responsibility and stress resistance. Any civilian would envy such a set.

For by the results of a nationwide survey conducted by the Sociological Group “Rating” on the initiative of the “Ukrainian Veterans Fund” of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine on December 5-6, 2024, among the risks faced by former military personnel after returning from the front, respondents still note the misunderstanding of society, lack of work, abuse of alcohol or drugs, lack of inclusive space and adapted workplace for persons with disabilities, inconsistency of military experience for civilian life.

Such a survey is conducted annually and still indicates that there are those who are dissatisfied with the way the state fulfills its obligations to veterans. In 2024, the share of dissatisfied was 25% compared to 33% in 2023. As a rule, residents of western and border regions, as well as those who have relatives who fought since 2014 and are fighting now, hold a negative opinion about the fulfillment of the state’s obligations to veterans. 53% of respondents believe that state programs to create an inclusive space and infrastructure for people with disabilities are ineffective. 43% of respondents indicated that they are poorly informed about veteran support programs.

International experience of adaptation of veterans to peaceful life

In many countries of the world, veterans are not left alone with their problems. From special rehabilitation programs to employment support, these measures not only facilitate their return to a peaceful life, but also make this process as comfortable as possible. Let’s see how it works abroad.

In the United States, the adaptation of veterans is a matter of state, business and society. The Ministry of Veterans Affairs operates there, which provides comprehensive support: from medical care to educational grants. For example, the GI Bill program provides veterans with the opportunity to obtain a college education or retraining at no cost. There are also veterans’ centers that offer psychological support. Equally important is the culture of gratitude: veterans have benefits in many areas, from tax credits to special home buying programs.

Companies are also actively involved in employment. Google, Amazon, and Starbucks all offer veteran hiring programs, recognizing that their experience and discipline is a valuable resource.

In Israel, almost every citizen serves in the army, so society understands the needs of veterans very well. After demobilization, ex-servicemen can take special retraining courses paid for by the state.

In addition, Israeli veterans receive support in opening a business. For example, there are grants for start-ups or small companies. Israeli employers often prefer veterans, because the army is considered a school of leadership and responsibility.

In Canada, one of the main focuses is on mental health. There are free therapy programs for veterans, including PTSD work. Veterans can receive support not only from psychologists, but also from specially trained animals – therapy dogs.

The state also offers mentorship programs: ex-servicemen who have successfully adapted help new veterans find their place in society.

In Norway, veterans have access to a full range of educational programs. The state covers the costs of education, grants scholarships and helps with finding a job after completing the courses. In addition, there are special rehabilitation centers that help veterans find a balance between physical and mental health.

In Germany, veterans with disabilities have access to a wide range of social benefits and state assistance. The German rehabilitation policy includes the provision of financial support, special medical services and assistance in housing adaptation. Veterans can also receive transportation benefits and financial assistance for rehabilitation and retraining. Germany actively cooperates with the private sector of the labor market to create jobs for veterans with disabilities. The obligation of large enterprises to provide jobs to people with disabilities, including veterans, is legally defined.

International experience shows that helping veterans is not just charity, but an investment in society. The successful adaptation of these people can make them the engine of change in the country. They are disciplined, motivated and ready to work. Ukraine should take an example from these countries, adapting the best practices to our realities. From efficient bureaucracy to creating a culture of gratitude, all of these steps can be the start of building a society that does not forget its heroes.

Yes, war changes people, but the indifference of society can break them completely. Veterans of the Armed Forces do not need pity or empty words of gratitude. They want real opportunities: to work, to live with dignity, to receive support when needed. Their struggle did not end at the front, it continues here and now, in the silence of queues in offices, in the coldness of refusals at interviews, in the silence of those who pretend that the war does not concern them.

Veterans return from the front not only with experience, but also with potential that could become valuable to society. However, instead of opportunities, they often face obstacles: employer stereotypes, lack of support, and sometimes even outright indifference. It is difficult for them to find a job, it is difficult to return to a normal life, which, in fact, will never be normal.

These people do not need pity or indulgence. They need simple, human acceptance — without prejudice, without mistrust. Society must understand that the adaptation of veterans is not only their personal challenge, but also our joint task. After all, if we leave them alone with this invisible front, we all lose.