Support Needed: 140,000 Returning Russian Soldiers Face Reintegration Challenges

Nearly 140,000 Russian soldiers have transitioned back to civilian life following their involvement in the conflict with Ukraine and now require assistance for their reintegration, a Kremlin official revealed on Thursday.

«About 137,000 combatants have returned home from the front lines of the special military operation,” stated Sergei Novikov, head of the Kremlin’s Directorate for Social Projects, during a state-sponsored youth conference.

«Most of these individuals are young, primarily under the age of 35,» Novikov was reported by the TASS news agency. «They need support in retraining and securing new employment—specifically, jobs that provide a fair wage since they are currently earning good salaries in the conflict zone.»

While deployed in Ukraine, soldiers receive a minimum monthly salary of 204,000 rubles (approximately $2,600).

“They must reintegrate in a manner that maintains their household income,” Novikov emphasized.

The Russian government estimates that only slightly more than half of demobilized veterans have found work, prompting the introduction of job assistance programs, vocational training, and incentives for employers to hire veterans, particularly those with disabilities.

The urgency of reintegration efforts has increased due to a reported rise in violent incidents involving returning soldiers. Court documents indicate that Russian veterans have been implicated in the deaths of at least 378 individuals since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

According to lawmakers, Russia’s Defense Ministry estimates that one in five war veterans experiences post-traumatic stress disorder. The country has fewer than one therapist for every 7,000 adults, with even fewer who specialize in treating combat-related trauma.