Sociologist Lyubomir Mysiv: Trust in the Armed Forces remains steady, while opinions on mobilization are mixed.

The number of veterans in Ukraine has already reached 1.3 million: this figure is reported by the relevant ministry. More families in the country have loved ones serving in the Defense Forces. How does Ukrainian society view former military personnel, and what challenges do those currently serving expect to face upon returning from war? Read more below.

The war affects virtually every Ukrainian in a literal sense: already 71% of Ukrainians report that their relatives or loved ones have served or are currently serving in the Armed Forces. This also influences how Ukrainians perceive veterans – not through images on social media, but through real-life interactions.

In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Lubomyr Mysiv, deputy director of the sociological group "Rating," discusses how the country views veterans three years into the war, whether the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) remain "number one" in the trust rating of Ukrainians, and what the state should do for its defenders.

– Your research covers many aspects regarding veterans: their image in society and the media, potential risks after returning from service, government programs, and infrastructure. What main trends have you identified?

– This is already the fifth wave of the study titled "The Image of Veterans in Ukrainian Society." We conduct it at the initiative of the Ukrainian Veteran Fund of the Ministry of Veterans, to observe the dynamics: how attitudes toward veterans change, whether people are aware of state policies regarding veterans, and so on. We understand that the war is ongoing, and the socio-economic situation is not the best. The number of people who are veterans or will become veterans in the future is expected to grow.

What is the main trend? We see an increase in the number of people who have relatives among veterans or those fighting on the front lines as part of the Defense Forces: the proportion of people stating that they have military relatives who are currently serving or have served has reached 71%.

This time, we chose not to ask a direct question about trust in the AFU. We observed that mobilization in society is perceived ambiguously. There are significant differences in public attitudes toward soldiers on the front lines compared to those in the rear and those serving in the Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRC).

Interestingly, the level of trust in the AFU does not decrease. However, the indicator of "fully trust" reached 90% at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, while now, in light of all events and the situation with the war and in the rear, the attitude has somewhat cooled.

Photo: Those with relatives among veterans are more aware of their problems than others (Getty Images)

The level of trust in the military remains the highest in society. 96% trust ATO veterans who are currently fighting again, 91% trust veterans of the current war, and 88% trust ATO (OOS) veterans from 2014-2021. 94% trust those serving on the front lines, while 76% trust those serving in the rear (excluding TRC).

However, the level of distrust towards TRC personnel reaches 67%. Only 29% express trust in them. The highest level of distrust toward TRC representatives is noted among residents of western and border regions, the younger generation, and men.

Most notably, the study shows that people see risks of certain crisis phenomena among veterans returning from war. We see an increase in expectations of such phenomena as unemployment, various family conflicts, involvement in crime, and substance abuse.

Expectations of worsening situations are linked to the mismatch between military experience and civilian life, as well as various social problems and the psycho-emotional instability of veterans. Society understands that if events take a turn for the worse, these problems may arise more frequently.

We surveyed various respondents. In particular, we highlight those who have relatives or loved ones who fought in ATO/OOS since 2014. They have already had veteran experience and faced societal misunderstanding upon returning from the front. They encountered a lack of understanding from the state and difficulties in obtaining social guarantees. It is among this category of the population that we see more negative expectations because they have already experienced this themselves and understand that it could happen again.

– What has changed since the last survey in how Ukrainians perceive veterans?

– Before 2022, the word "veteran" was often associated in society with veterans of World War II. This is objective since there was no unified media image of the modern veteran.

With the onset of the full-scale invasion, the situation changed rapidly. Over the past few years, the number of military personnel has increased significantly. We are now talking about at least a million people. It is clear that the word "veteran" now carries entirely different associations. These are predominantly young individuals, regardless of gender.

– Therefore, it seems that Ukrainians had virtually no clear understanding of veterans before 2022, even though the war has been ongoing since 2014?

- Yes. Let's recall the history of ATO veterans before the full-scale invasion.

Based on our interactions with representatives of the Ukrainian Veteran Fund and our research, people often formed the image of a veteran based on conflicts that arose from everyday situations or news reports about a veteran committing a crime. This happened unintentionally, but it influenced the perception of veterans.

Photo: People see risks of certain crisis phenomena among veterans returning from war (Getty Images)

However, in the future, the number of veterans will increase significantly. People will be in close proximity to them and interact much more frequently. Many families will include individuals who served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Therefore, this image will change. This is a question for all institutions and society itself.

Currently, the attitude toward veterans is positive because the war continues, they are protecting us now, and their fate essentially lies in the hands of our state.

But when questions about social guarantees and the distribution of a limited budget arise, it is clear that problems will emerge in everyday life when these individuals begin to receive social assistance. After all, there are other categories of the population who also need social support, such as single mothers and pensioners. This raises questions for the state regarding how it will communicate and facilitate access to social guarantees and services for these individuals.

Interestingly, some veterans do not require social assistance. They are ready to return to civilian life and continue working. However, they are very concerned that they will not be understood. Each person has a different experience interacting with civilians, and it is not always positive. They need opportunities for self-organization, and their integration into society will be crucial both now and after the war concludes.

Against the backdrop of a decline in overall trust in state institutions, only 25% of respondents believe that the state fulfills its obligations to veterans of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Almost 70% believe it does not. This is especially true for those who have close relatives who are ATO/OOS veterans or who have recently become veterans.

– Who, in the opinion of the public, primarily fails to fulfill these obligations?

– People primarily blame the parliament. However, there is an interesting feature: trust in the parliament is very low overall in the state. Citizens, not understanding who is responsible for veteran policy, first name the parliamentarians.

Among those who believe that the state does not fulfill its obligations to veterans, the majority (59%) point to the Verkhovna Rada. 30% say that the Cabinet of Ministers is not fulfilling its obligations, 28% blame the President, 27% local councils and executive committees, and 19% the ministries and departments.

This, by the way, is a common trend in Ukraine. There has already been a negative history regarding how the parliament loses its level of trust after elections. The parliament in Ukraine has become a scapegoat for many issues. The people's deputy is predominantly considered guilty in the eyes of the public, regardless of whether they are good or bad. Unfortunately, the Verkhovna Rada has maintained this image throughout our history as an independent state.

It is worth noting that people are generally more informed about regional politicians and the initiatives happening at their local level. This is logical because they see these issues firsthand, walk the streets, and interact with people.

Local authorities are closer to the people and are more understandable. When we speak with people about various policies, including veteran policies, residents of cities and towns often recall some interesting positive experiences from specific events or initiatives.

Photo: Those who are personally aware of veterans' problems say their image does not always match media portrayals – Lubomyr Mysiv (provided by RBC-Ukraine)

Overall, people indicate that they are informed and aware of veterans' problems. They negatively assess programs aimed at creating inclusive spaces and infrastructure for people with disabilities. 53% believe that government programs for creating accessible spaces and infrastructure for individuals with disabilities are ineffective. 37% hold the opposite opinion.

In general, the level of inclusivity in the state has been rated very low even before. Because the