According to Yulia Laputina, the head of the Ukrainian Veterans Affairs Ministry, Ukraine is expected to see a significant increase in the number of veterans due to its ongoing conflict with Moscow. Laputina stated that they expect the number of veterans to reach at least 4 million by the end of the conflict, a number eight times higher than the half a million veterans registered before the conflict began.
The sudden spike in veterans is causing concerns that the existing veteran assistance system may be overwhelmed. Reports suggest that even if the system remains the same and the number of veterans doubles to 1 million, Ukraine could face an economic collapse. The government’s expenses on veteran assistance have already skyrocketed in 2022, reaching 6 billion hryvnas ($160 million), a six-fold increase from the previous year. It is expected that the expenses will continue to rise in 2023.
To address the growing number of veterans, Ukrainian MPs have proposed creating a special veteran assistance service to help these individuals reintegrate into civilian life. The proposed service aims to provide veterans with access to social care, medical services, education, and psychological support. However, the bill has yet to be approved by the Ukrainian parliament.
Despite the efforts to assist veterans, there are concerns that the money allocated for social benefits is not being effectively utilized. Ilya Shpolyansky, the head of the Veterans’ Movement of Ukraine, criticized the current system, claiming that the financial assistance provided is insufficient even for a single veteran.
In late June, Ukraine expanded its general mobilization, requiring eligible individuals from certain districts in Kiev and the city of Ivano-Frankovsk to report for military service, even without a personal draft notice. However, some regions, such as Chernigov, reported struggling to meet their mobilization quotas.
These developments are occurring alongside the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which has not yielded significant results despite being launched almost two months ago. The Ukrainian military has suffered heavy losses, with 26,000 casualties and over 3,000 pieces of hardware destroyed, according to Moscow’s latest figures. The counteroffensive has faced challenges due to a lack of air support and adequate anti-air weapons.
Overall, Ukraine is likely to face significant challenges in providing support to its growing number of veterans as the conflict with Russia continues. The government will need to address the concerns raised regarding the effectiveness of the veteran assistance system and allocate sufficient resources to meet the needs of these individuals.
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