In brief
Thousands of Russian veterans are returning home with severe injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, highlighting the struggles of adaptation and societal stigma in their rehabilitation process. With limited resources and increasing difficulties in accurately assessing casualty figures due to government restrictions, families must navigate the complexities of caregiving for affected individuals post-war.
Aleksandr, a 38-year-old soldier who lost his leg to a mine in Ukraine, reflects on the grueling journey many returning Russian veterans face. With only two weeks of training before being deployed to the front lines in 2023, Aleksandr's adjustment to life as an amputee is ongoing. "It took a lot of pain at the beginning," he shared during an interview at a Moscow-area sanitarium. "Eventually, your brain just rewires itself and you get used to it." Currently, he is among countless soldiers coming back to a society that is struggling to accommodate their needs amid international sanctions. A report by independent Russian media estimates there may be over 300,000 severely injured veterans due to the ongoing conflict, but the Russian government's classification of many statistics complicates understanding the true toll of the war.At the Rus Sanitarium, where Aleksandr was fitted with a new prosthetic, the stark realities of life after war become apparent. Many veterans bear injuries that are not only physical but also deeply psychological, including post-traumatic stress disorder. The families of these veterans must grapple with the trauma of waiting for their loved ones to return, only to face the new challenges of caregiving for individuals who may need solid support both visibly and invisibly.The alarming reality is that the Russian government has made it more challenging to estimate injuries and fatalities as the war progresses. This has created a difficult environment for veterans seeking assistance, with many returning to a life that feels disconnected from the regular hustle and bustle of society—where daily life appears unaffected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. As these veterans navigate their new realities, the journey toward rehabilitation remains a long and arduous path, filled with the complexities of integrating back into a community that may not fully understand their struggles.
