As the conflict drags on, some Ukrainian soldiers say they’ve had severe issues dealing with war-related stress and disorders.

Kyiv

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, many soldiers are grappling with severe war-related stress and disorders. Oleksandr, a veteran who served for two years on Ukraine’s front lines, shares his experiences of a hip injury and the psychological scars of combat. Despite physical injuries, it is the nightmares and flashbacks that have been more challenging for him, leading to unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol and drugs.

Government doctors in Ukraine are exploring treatment options for veterans like Oleksandr, including the use of ketamine to address depression and pain management, which has shown positive results for him. Oleksandr urges others struggling with similar issues to seek psychological help instead of turning to substances such as alcohol or harder drugs, emphasizing the benefits he's experienced from ketamine-based therapy.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Health is facilitating support for veterans through the Center for Mental Health and Rehabilitation Lisovo-Polyana in Kyiv. The center, originally built in the 1970s for Communist Party leaders, has evolved into a rehabilitation hub for veterans, particularly after Russia's invasion in 2014. Patients receive an array of support, including counseling, sleep therapy, and group activities to help manage mental health issues stemming from the traumas of war.

Aksenia, a neurologist at the rehab center, notes the prevalence of mild traumatic brain injuries among soldiers due to explosive blasts, which can lead to post-coma syndrome and contribute to substance abuse issues. While the goal is to rehabilitate veterans for a return to the battlefield, not all, like Oleksandr, are fit to return to combat. Instead, he is now focusing on reintegrating into civilian life, with peace being the ultimate desire for soldiers like him who have faced the hardships of war firsthand.



Ukrainian veterans treated for trauma, depression at rehab centres

Oleksandr, nicknamed Hotsman, suffered a hip injury. It was painful, but the nightmares and flashbacks, he says, were much worse. Sleeping no more than 20 minutes a night, driving him, he says, to unhealthy coping mechanisms, just to numb the suffering. Yes, the problem of alcohol and drugs is present. It's always been there. And to say that it doesn't exist is just to deceive yourself. Oleksandr served on Ukraine's front lines for two years. He told us the extremes of combat led to pain, PTSD, anger and self-isolation. Government doctors have been treating him using the prescription drug ketamine, which is used to treat depression and manage pain, among other ailments. And although there are some risks to the treatment, Oleksandr says it is working for him. I advise everyone, it's better to approach a psychologist than to take a bottle of vodka, or even worse, start using some drugs. This will never lead to anything good. And the results for me personally of ketamine-based therapy, I think are very big. At the Center for Mental Health and Rehabilitation Lisovo-Polyana in Kyiv, the Ukrainian Ministry of Health is trying to get veterans the help they need. But doctors here say they're under no illusions. There are no quick fixes. What works is providing patients an ecosystem of support. Counseling sessions and sleep therapy. Leisure and group activities. Serene surroundings and some downtime. Built in the 1970s, it was originally a retreat for Communist Party leaders. Then in the 1980s, veterans of the Soviet war in Afghanistan started coming here for R&R. It was only after Russia's invasion in 2014 that it became a rehabilitation center for Ukraine's war veterans. Aksenia is a neurologist and runs the rehab center. She says one of the most common injuries during battle is mild traumatic brain injury from the blast waves of big explosions, a hallmark of modern warfare. I would call it an epidemic situation because practically every soldier receives an explosive wave, invisible and sometimes multiple episodes, and these cases form post-coma syndrome. This is a big reason for alcoholism and drug addiction. For many, the fight does not stop here. The goal is to get them better and back to the battlefront. But Oleksandr's condition does not allow him to return to the front lines. He says he feels better prepared for civilian life now. Those who faced war firsthand know the cost. And like so many soldiers, what he wants most, he says, is peace. Zain Basravi, Al Jazeera, Kyiv.

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Ukraine Invasion