Ukraine Grapples with the Challenge of Healing After Three Years of War

Kyiv, Ukraine, February 23, 2025 (BSS/AFP) – As Ukraine marks three years of relentless war, the nation faces the daunting task of healing—both physically and mentally. For many soldiers who have returned from the front lines, recovery is a long and painful process, filled with both resilience and dark humor.

Life After Injury: A Difficult Adjustment

At a rehabilitation center in Kyiv, a group of wounded Ukrainian veterans gathers for physical therapy. When the instructor asks them to stretch their legs, a chuckle spreads through the room.

“Only if you still have anything to stretch!” jokes Oleksandr, a 31-year-old serviceman who lost his leg to a landmine in eastern Ukraine last November.

Despite the lighthearted banter, the weight of psychological trauma is evident. Many veterans are struggling to come to terms with their new realities, while also navigating a health system that is under immense strain.

Oleksandr is receiving treatment at the Pushcha Vodytsia rehabilitation center, one of 488 such facilities across Ukraine. However, the scale of the crisis is overwhelming. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 10 million Ukrainians are suffering from war-related psychological distress, and government officials predict that at least five million veterans will need long-term support.

A Rapid Overhaul of Rehabilitation Practices

The war has forced Ukraine to rethink its approach to rehabilitation. Occupational therapist Maksym Andrusenko recalls how, before the war, his profession was often dismissed.

“One center even offered me a job as a driver instead of a therapist,” he says. “Back then, skills like mine weren’t taken seriously.”

But attitudes have shifted dramatically. Outdated Soviet-era methods, such as mud baths, have been replaced with modern therapies, including yoga and music therapy.

“Our foreign colleagues say we’ve achieved in a few years what some countries would take a decade to do,” Andrusenko explains.

According to Ukraine’s health ministry, the number of rehabilitation experts has increased sevenfold since the full-scale invasion began, with 11,000 professionals now working in the field. Another 9,000 specialists are expected to join by 2026. But even with these efforts, experts fear the system will struggle to meet the demand.

Psychological Scars and Social Reintegration

In one room at the rehabilitation center, a group of veterans plays billiards. Instead of using their names on the scorecard, they write their military dog-tag numbers, decorated with dripping blood drawn in red ink.

“We’re rehabilitating ourselves!” says Eduard, a serviceman who recently lost his son in battle.

For many, the psychological wounds run deeper than the physical ones. Oleg, 28, who suffered a concussion and shrapnel wounds in an explosion that killed his friend, admits that he still feels like he’s “at the front.”

“It’s hard to see civilians living a normal life in Kyiv. Why aren’t the men in the streets fighting? We, the lower classes, are fighting. The others are going to nightclubs!” he says bitterly.

Psychologist Oleksy Didenko warns that without stronger mental health support, Ukraine could face rising crime rates, substance abuse, and suicide among veterans. The experiences of soldiers from past conflicts—such as World War II, Iraq, and Afghanistan—serve as grim reminders of what can happen if veterans are not reintegrated into society.

“Ukrainian society is not fully prepared for these challenges,” Didenko cautions.

A Nation Still at War

Despite the struggles of post-war recovery, many soldiers remain focused on one goal—victory.

“I want to get rid of this evil as soon as possible and live a civilian life,” Oleg says, pacing his room at the rehabilitation center.

For Ukraine, the war is not just about reclaiming territory—it is also about ensuring that those who have sacrificed the most are not left behind.