C Explanatory memorandum by Mr Georgios
Stamatis, rapporteur for opinionNote
1 Introduction
1. The explanatory memorandum
by Mr Jan Filip Libicki (Poland, EPP/CD) and the draft resolution
and draft recommendation adopted by the Committee on Social Affairs,
Health and Sustainable Development, are a wake-up call to raise
awareness about one of the most devastating consequences of the
war of aggression carried out by the Russian federation in Ukraine
since February 2022.
2. In this regard, I would like to express my satisfaction, alongside
that of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, for the
opportunity to contribute to an important text tackling the needs
of veterans and soldiers in Ukraine who become persons with disabilities
during the war of aggression.
3. In November 2024, the Ukrainian Government approved a Veterans
Policy Strategy until 2030. Its implementation should be reviewed
so that it can be adapted to the evolving needs and circumstances
of veterans in Ukraine, including those with disabilities. At the
hearing held in June 2026, the then Minister of Veterans Affairs
of Ukraine, Ms Kalmykova, underlined that the most important message
from the Ukrainian experience is that “rehabilitation does not end
when the person leaves the hospital”, as returning to independent
living also requires accessible infrastructure, employment opportunities,
psychological support, community acceptance, and strong family networks.
These issues are indeed included in the draft resolution, and I
commend Mr Libicki for his report.
4. With more than two million veterans in Ukraine,
Note it is critical that national policies
and measures to support their reintegration adequately address the
diversity of needs of veterans and the challenges they face, based
on their active participation and experience.
5. At the hearing held on 23 June 2026, we learnt that there
are approximately 3.6 million people with disabilities in Ukraine,
which is one million more than before the war. The National Assembly
of Persons with Disabilities, set up in Ukraine in 2002, now has
a Veterans Council to consider the situation and needs of persons
who become disabled as a result of the war of aggression. They contribute
to shaping veteran policy in Ukraine by working with the Ministry
of Veteran Affairs and other authorities providing advice to ensure
equal rights and accessible services.
6. The number of persons with disabilities in Ukraine has grown
and will continue to grow as the war of aggression continues, affecting
both veterans and civilians. At our hearing, we heard from Ms Olga
Rudneva, the director of the Superhumans War Trauma Center – a clinic
that provides psychological support, prosthetics, reconstructive
surgery and rehabilitation for people injured during the war – that
the estimated number of people who have lost limbs in Ukraine is
about 100 000. Hearing impairments affect roughly 200 000 people, including
partially or fully losing their hearing.
7. In addition, mental health issues are a serious concern. Ms Rudneva
explained that this is one of the biggest challenges that Ukraine
has, as a country, in the next five to ten years. She underlined
the need for international support to build their capacity to treat
many mental cases in civilians and military personnel. She called
for a war trauma national hospital so that data and experience can
be collected.
8. As it was stated by Minister Kalmykova at the hearing in June
2026, veteran policy “is ultimately about dignity, participation,
and equal opportunities”. This means that all veterans who become
disabled during the war of aggression need to have access to the
same support and assistance towards their rehabilitation.
9. Mr Libicki’s report, draft resolution and draft recommendation
are timely and important. I can only support this text and encourage
the members of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination,
as well as the Assembly as a whole, to do the same. The amendments
I propose aim to strengthen the text as regards the need to recognise
and cater for the needs of the full diversity of soldiers who become
disabled as a result of the hostilities in Ukraine, including women,
LGBTI persons and foreign veterans. In addition, working to increase
the public understanding and acceptance of persons with disabilities,
including veterans, is crucial, as is a pre-condition for their
full reintegration in society.
2 The importance
of considering the needs of all veterans, including women, LGBTI
persons and foreign nationals
10. The
Fifth Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment of the situation in Ukraine published in February 2026 by
the World Bank, the Government of Ukraine, the European Union and
the United Nations, covering the period from February 2022 to December
2025, indicates that war veterans and members of the armed forces, both
women and men, experience gender-specific impacts related to combat
exposure, injury and disability, reintegration challenges, and mental
health needs. This justifies that a gender-specific assessment and consideration
of the needs of men and women veterans be carried out.
11. EU reports
Note note that veterans in Ukraine face
various difficulties depending on their educational background,
military role, access to healthcare (including psychological assistance),
gender and access to housing, especially for those from the territories
occupied by Russia.
12. In 2018, the Ukrainian Government opened for the first time
63 combat positions to women in the Armed Forces. That led to the
foundation of the Women Veterans Movement (VETERANKA), a community
of women veterans that supports women in the military and helps
women veterans return to civilian life. Adequate uniforms for women
have been provided since 2024, but there was no body armour vests
adapted to the female anatomy until
July
2026, which resulted in injuries to female soldiers.
Note
13. In our hearing held on 23 June 2026, we heard first-hand from
one of the founders of VETERANKA, Ms Primark, about the army’s masculine
environment, which is not always welcoming for women. Ms Primark remarked
that women must prove themselves on duty every day to show that
they can fight on alongside men on equal terms, and after they are
discharged, they are “forced to prove their contribution all over
again, because the state and society still predominantly view veterans
as men”. She stressed the direct impact of such stereotypes and
bias on veteran policies, as public policies “are not built in a
vacuum”.
14. Nearly 16 000 foreign volunteers from at least 72 countries
serve in Ukraine’s Defence Forces.
Note The Office of the Military Ombudsman
has set up a working group to examine the situation of foreign servicemen, from
their recruitment and deployment to being discharged and the return
to their home countries or transition to civilian life in Ukraine.
These non-national veterans should also be able to access and benefit
from the support and assistance available for veterans who become
disabled during the war of aggression.
15. Experts at the hearing also conveyed the strong message that
Europe should not fear the radicalisation of Ukrainian veterans,
but rather their mental health and the impact of addictions, chronic
unemployment and persistent grief. The best help for veterans who
become disabled is to invest in accessibility and remove barriers
to employment, housing and recovery, focusing on their mental health
and dignity.
3 Gaps in the protection
of the rights of LGBTI persons in Ukraine
16. A draft new Civil Code, submitted
by a group of MPs led by the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk,
caused great concern among organisations defending the rights of
LGBTI persons as it would deprive same-sex couples and their family
members of the limited recognition that currently exists – which
is subject to a court decision. The draft new Civil Code defines
a “de facto family union” as the cohabitation of two persons of
different sex living as one family. This means that the draft new
code deprives same-sex couples of any recognition as family members.
Note The Verkhovna
Rada adopted the draft in the first reading but, following public
protests and negative reactions, the possibility of amending it
remains open.
17. The situation of transgender persons in the Ukrainian army
is also a source of concern, as those who serve in the Ukrainian
army face discrimination and legal restrictions. The official change
of gender is not regulated as regards military registration and
transgender persons cannot hold positions of command, given that
the diagnosis of “Transsexualism” continues to be linked to mental
disorders,
Note despite
the changes brought by the International Classification of Diseases
(ICD-11).
18. Protests against the draft Civil Code and demands to legalise
registered civil partnerships for same-sex couples have become the
main focus of LGBTI events in 2026. The Ukrainian Government and
President have made statements in support of equal rights for LGBTI
persons, but the adoption of legislation is being slowed down in
parliament by conservative parliamentarians and the lobbying of
certain Ukrainian churches.
4 Activities of
the Council of Europe on veterans in Ukraine
19. The Council of Europe is conducting
a co-operation project on
“Rights
of Veterans and Personnel of Armed Forces in Ukraine”, as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine
“Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026. The project
aims at contributing to the protection of human rights of military personnel,
veterans, law enforcement officers and their families, including
their social rights.
20. The project integrates a gender-sensitive and inclusive approach
throughout its activities, recognising that veterans have diverse
experiences, needs and vulnerabilities. Particular attention is
paid to the challenges that women veterans may face, as well as
to practical approaches for addressing these challenges and providing
appropriate support. This approach is reflected in the main activities
of the project:
- Trauma-sensitive
communication and support to persons released from captivity: Particular
attention is paid to the specific experiences and vulnerabilities
of women in the armed forces, including their heightened exposure
to risks of discrimination, harassment and gender-based violence,
which may have an impact on their psychological well-being and recovery.
- Support to the integration of veterans in the labour market:
Training for career counsellors included the specific challenges
that women veterans may face in accessing and participating in employment, including
gender stereotypes, potential discriminatory attitudes and practices,
and other barriers that may affect their labour market integration.
- Case management and comprehensive support: Training is
provided to specialists providing support to veterans, including
practical cases addressing the complex and intersecting circumstances
that women veterans may experience, i.e. situations where women
veterans may simultaneously be veterans, spouses or family members
of military personnel, persons with disabilities, or persons originating
from temporarily occupied territories.
21. On 27 August 2026, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for
Human Rights presented the Special Report “On the State of Implementation
of Veterans’ Policy in Ukraine”.
Note The public event
was supported by the Council of Europe project “Rights of Veterans
and Personnel of Armed Forces in Ukraine”. The Special report analyses
the current state of veteran policy, and it includes information
provided by government authorities and citizens, as well as the
results of a survey of 1000 male and female veterans.
22. On 4 September 2026, the GREVIO published
its
first evaluation report on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention
in Ukraine. The report welcomes the measures taken by the Ukrainian
authorities to actively prepare demobilised men and veterans for
their return to civil life, given the escalation of domestic violence
cases largely due to the experiences and trauma related to the war.
The report recommends targeted perpetrator programmes for military
personnel and veterans, which could be set up within existing perpetrator programmes
or as part of the work of veteran centres or other institutions
supporting them (see paragraphs 65, 68, 71, 99 and 101).
