How do russia and Ukraine reintegrate the military into civilian life and what is the attitude towards veterans in these countries?

The reintegration of veterans into civilian life is a critical aspect of supporting those who have participated in military operations. It not only restores their social and professional integration, but also contributes to national security and supports the health and well-being of the veteran community. Providing support, training and development opportunities for our veterans is a moral and social responsibility of every country.

And while in Ukraine there is a positive movement towards the integration of veterans into society, in russia the status of a veteran of "SVO" gives carte blanche to commit various crimes.

Killers, rapists and "convicts" - who is the new elite in russia being formed

russia has decided to recruit governors and heads of state-owned enterprises from among the participants of the war in eastern Ukraine. This initiative was announced during a speech by russian president vladimir putin to the Federal Assembly.

Applicants who participated in the conflict have the opportunity to submit their applications through a special website "Time of Heroes".

Now these war criminals are seeking high positions, most of them, although they had a criminal record, received a pardon from the president of the russian federation, which removes their criminal record. Even in cases of new offenses committed by these "veterans," the police and prosecutors often ignore these facts.

According to Olga Romanova, founder of the Sitting russia Foundation, 50,000 former prisoners who took part in the war in Ukraine have been pardoned in russia.

Among the applicants for high positions, there may be a warrant officer, a former member of the so-called SVO, who broke the throat of a 10-year-old boy during training in a military sports camp in Novosibirsk. The boy's mother said on social media that the warrant officer beat her son with a stick for failing to complete tasks. She also recalled an incident when Ilya Kulinich from the city of Shakhty, Rostov region, who returned from the front without a leg, mistreated his 1.5-year-old daughter.

In another example, a former 'hero of the SVO' severely beat his ex-wife, breaking her facial bones and her eyes, but was not punished. Many of them now act as teachers, "educating" young people to become patriots. This is a situation where war criminals can easily justify their crimes by joining Putin's "elite personnel reserve."

Applications from "heroes of the SVO" will be accepted until April 8, after which the winners will be prepared for leadership work.

At the same time, Ukraine is developing veteran business

During more than 10 years of military aggression, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians were forced to take up arms. Before the full-scale invasion, according to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, almost 440 thousand people had the status of veterans of the russian-Ukrainian war. Currently, their number continues to grow due to servicemen who returned from the front for health or family reasons. These people often face physical and psychological trauma.

Ukraine actively supports its veterans through various veteran business programs. One of these initiatives is the provision of grants for the development of their own business. These grants help veterans realize their entrepreneurial ideas and start their own businesses.

In addition, there are special programs for veterans who want to change their profession after returning from the frontline. This gives them the opportunity to adapt to civilian life and find new opportunities for career growth after the war.

These initiatives are aimed at helping veterans successfully integrate into society, providing them with support in developing their own business and reorienting in the professional sphere after returning from war.

For example, the Ukrainian Veterans Fund of the Ministry of Veterans of Ukraine will allocate UAH 205 million to support veteran businesses in 2024. These funds will be distributed through a competitive program among veteran entrepreneurs and public organizations that provide services to veterans and their families.

"In 2024, it is planned to hold competitions to finance veteran businesses, continue the 20 thousand business reimbursement program, and also plan new training and mentoring programs for entrepreneurs. In total, the allocated amount of UAH 205 million for 2024 will be a significant contribution to supporting veterans, their reintegration and the development of veteran businesses in Ukraine. We strive to ensure the effective use of every hryvnia of taxpayers and to enable every interested veteran to implement their projects," said Ruslana Velychko-Trifoniuk, Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine.

In addition to financial support for business, funds will also be directed to public organizations that provide social support for veterans and their families, mentoring support for veteran businesses, support for an active lifestyle and health. Over the past two years, 160 veteran projects and 37 non-governmental organizations have won the Varto competition.