Assistance to Veterans and Their Families

Right to Protection implements a comprehensive assistance programme aimed at supporting veterans and their families. The Fund's specialists provide long-term psychological and legal assistance and social services. R2P works to strengthen veterans' organisations and facilitates the reintegration of veterans into the hromada.

Do you need an assistance? Information is available on the page for beneficiaries.

Who is the programme direction aimed at?

The programme direction is implemented in Vinnytska and Dnipropetrovska oblasts and helps:

  • veterans and their families;
  • families of military personnel;
  • family members of missing, captured, and fallen soldiers.

Veterans are persons who have participated in combat operations during the Russian-Ukrainian war since 2014 and have been officially discharged from military service due to demobilisation, health, age, or other reasons in accordance with Ukrainian law. Veterans may also include persons who participated in de facto hostilities but, for one reason or another, do not currently have the status of combatants. To do this, signing a statement declaring that the person is not a combatant is necessary. The assistance will be denied if other information is subsequently received/found.

By signing this statement, the person confirms that they are not currently a combatant, in particular:

  • does not perform military service and does not belong to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, other military formations established under the laws of Ukraine, or law enforcement agencies that participate in the defence of the state by their powers;
  • is not a member of the regular army of another country or irregular armed groups;
  • does not take an active part in combat operations, including sabotage, guerrilla activities, collection and transmission of military information, provision of transport or other services to parties in a state of war, etc;
  • is not involved in the recruitment or training of military personnel;
  • does not hold a command or managerial position in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, other military formations, the army or any armed organisation;
  • did not arrive in Ukraine with weapons or in military uniform or as part of a defence structure;
  • is not in the process of acquiring and does not intend to acquire any of these characteristics.

Assistance is provided to veterans who:

  • have the status of a combatant or a person with a disability as a result of war;
  • participated in de facto hostilities, but for one reason or another, do not have the status of combatants;
  • need support in reintegration, social adaptation, legal protection, or psychological assistance.
  • are not in military service and are not considered combatants under international law.

Who are combatants?

According to international law, combatant is a person who:

  • is a member of a regular army or irregular armed groups;
  • who directly participates in combat or is involved in recruiting or traning of servicemen;
  • or carries command or management position in the army of a country or a military organization;
  • or arrived to a country with a weapon or wearing military uniform, or as a part of a military formation;
  • or while arriving to a country as a civilian, gains any of aforementioned traits.

Comprehensive Support for Veterans in Hromadas

Specialists will provide legal, social, and psychological services to veterans and their families.

Particular attention will be paid to supporting people with disabilities and limited mobility: they can receive home care and physical support.

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Legal Aid

Legal Aid

● Advice on social guarantees and obtaining the status of a combatant.

● Judicial support of cases related to the protection of rights.

● Assistance in the preparation of documents.

● Operation of a legal helpline.

● An informational legal chatbot on assistance to veterans is being developed.

Psychological Support

Psychological Support

● Individual and group counselling.

● Work with the consequences of emotional exhaustion.

● Mutual support groups.

● Prevention of emotional burnout and suicide prevention.

● Training humanitarian workers to work with veterans in the context of providing psychological assistance and support.

Social Support and Adaptation

Social Support and Adaptation

● Providing individual and group counselling to veterans and their families.

● Providing social support to veterans and their families in difficult life circumstances.

● Providing financial support for veterans in difficult life circumstances.

● Home care for veterans with disabilities and their families.

Gender Equality and Safety

Gender Equality and Safety

● Conducting awareness-raising sessions on partnership, gender equality, and security.

● Awareness raising on combating and preventing gender-based violence (including domestic violence).

Social Cohesion and Integration

Social Cohesion and Integration

● Involvement of veterans and their families in joint activities in the hromada to improve their psycho-emotional state, establish interactions, share experiences, and strengthen relationships.

● Involvement of veterans and their families in hromada's decision-making and local democracy as part of working groups.

● Conducting trainings on civic participation and memorialisation tools for veterans, specialised organisations, and local authorities.

Support for Veterans' Organisations

Support for Veterans' Organisations

● Advising and mentoring organisations to improve their internal processes and governance.

● Strengthening the work of veterans' organisations by developing tools, standards, and procedures, such as policies, rules, protocols, internal regulations, etc.

● Organising the exchange of experience between veterans' organisations and international partners.

Returning to civilian life after war is a complex process requiring a comprehensive approach and support at all levels. The Fund helps veterans not only receive the necessary services but also restore social ties and start a new stage in their lives.

The map shows the regions where the Assistance to Veterans and Their Families is currently operating.

International Partners Who Support Our Activities: