August M
Hundreds of thousands of Russian troops returning from the war in Ukraine are reportedly struggling to reintegrate into civilian life. Officials have acknowledged the scale of the problem, even as authorities roll out new employment initiatives.
According to Belsat, as many as 250,000 former Russian soldiers are currently without work after coming back from the front. The figure was attributed to comments by Russian official Sergei Novikov.
“They returned, they’re not working, they’re spending the money they received, or they’re doing something else. A total of 250,000 people haven’t found employment. We must, of course, address this issue,” Novikov said, as quoted by Belsat.
The outlet reported that the data referencing the number of unemployed veterans was later removed from official sources, 02.pl reports.
Struggles at home
Belsat described the experiences of several former servicemen who have found it difficult to transition back to civilian life.
Vasily, from the Kursk region, lost a hand during the war. Before being deployed, he worked in manual labour. He said he was offered employment in another town but declined because of the long commute.
He was also promised a position at a military recruitment office. However, he said the offer was withdrawn after superiors saw his injury, telling him he would not be able to carry out office duties.
Another veteran, Mikhail from the Luhansk region, previously worked as a miner before joining Russian forces. He now reportedly works informally as a taxi driver.
Government response
Mikhail said he had been offered lower-paid jobs such as caretaker or cemetery guard, but the wages were insufficient to support his family. He also sustained injuries during the conflict.
In response to rising unemployment among veterans, Russian authorities have launched up to 300 programmes aimed at retraining and placing former soldiers in civilian roles, according to Belsat.
The initiatives reportedly include subsidies for companies willing to hire veterans, with support amounting to roughly 10,000 Polish zloty per employee.
The situation highlights the broader social and economic challenges facing Russia as the war continues.
Sources: Belsat, o2.pl
