Returning from war is not merely the end of military service, but also the beginning of a complex process of adapting to civilian life. Veterans have to recover from injuries, rebuild their professional plans, look for work, and overcome stereotypes on the part of potential employers. Psychologists emphasize that adaptation takes time, understanding, and support from those around them, while it is important for employers to prepare not only workplaces but also teams. According to the observations of the European Business Association, Ukrainian companies are gradually developing such practices; however, stereotypes and insufficient staff preparedness for interacting with veterans remain a problem. The story of Ruslan Ahasanov is an example of how personal experience of returning from war can grow into systematic work to support other veterans. UNN spoke with Mr. Ruslan about his journey after service, joining the team of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, working as an adviser to its chairman Serhii Byzov, and the opportunities for trade unions to support veterans.
- Mr. Ruslan, tell us about your military journey. When did you join the defense of Ukraine, and when did you complete your service?
- On February 24, 2022, I voluntarily joined the defense of the Kyiv region. At that time, we were part of the Azov Special Operations Forces, and later the Third Separate Assault Brigade was formed on the basis of the unit. In 2022, I was wounded. After lengthy rehabilitation and several operations, I returned to service and continued carrying out combat missions. I was finally discharged from service in 2025.
- What issues did you have to deal with after completing your military service?
- Being discharged from service did not in itself mean a full return to civilian life. I had to undergo additional medical procedures, operations, and rehabilitation. At the beginning of this summer, I underwent what I hope was my final operation. In addition, there were many bureaucratic matters to resolve: preparing documents, completing the relevant procedures at the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center, and dealing with pension matters. I currently have a Group II disability.
Therefore, I actually associate my return to civilian life specifically with this year. Before that, much of my time was taken up by treatment, recovery, and the need to gather my thoughts in order to understand how to move forward.
- What was the most difficult part of adapting to civilian life?
- The greatest difficulties after returning were emotional. When you spend a long time in a military environment, you get used to a completely different pace of life, combat missions, constant responsibility, and interaction with your comrades. Then you return to the civilian world and do not always understand what is happening in it. Sometimes it is even difficult to find common ground with people who do not have such experience. It is essentially a transition from one world to another, and society must understand how challenging it can be for a veteran.
- You also mentioned difficulties with employment. What stereotypes about veterans do people returning from service encounter?
- Employment is a separate issue. Unfortunately, many potential employers perceive a veteran as aggressive, dangerous, or emotionally unstable. Because of such stereotypes, they may even be afraid to offer veterans jobs. But a veteran is not someone to be wary of. A veteran is a person with experience, professional skills, knowledge, and a desire to realize themselves in civilian life. Sometimes they simply need time and support to adapt to a new environment.
But in this regard, I can say that I was lucky. By chance, thanks to a fellow servicemember who is also a veteran and has a leg amputation, I met Serhii Byzov, chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine. We met and talked, and during the conversation I began sharing my ideas about integrating veterans into civilian life, as well as integrating the population of temporarily occupied territories.
Even then, I already understood the problems veterans face after returning, because I had gone through this process myself. In particular, I spoke about the need to work with employers and work teams, explain the specifics of veterans’ adaptation to them, and help people return to professional activity.
- How did Serhii Byzov respond to your proposals? Did you feel that these ideas were ready not merely to be heard but also to be worked on?
- Serhii Serhiiovych found my proposals interesting, so he suggested meeting again to discuss them in greater detail. We agreed to meet again in approximately a week.
I was particularly impressed by the way his team worked. While we were talking, the team was already connected and listening to my proposals, and in fact, just a few minutes after the conversation ended, they had already been recorded in a document. Moreover, it contained specific proposals regarding where one could turn to resolve the issues raised. In other words, it was not merely a conversation about problems but an attempt to immediately find ways to resolve them.
- What specific issues did you propose developing during meetings with representatives of the Federation? What, in your view, should work with veterans focus on?
- In total, there were about three such meetings. I continued to present my proposals regarding veterans’ integration, because I understood that returning to civilian life cannot be limited merely to processing documents or looking for a vacancy. A veteran needs help becoming part of a team again, feeling needed, undergoing retraining if necessary, and gradually getting used to a different work rhythm.
It is important to understand that those returning to civilian life include not only service members who took part in the full-scale war. There are also veterans who served as far back as the ATO period. Each of them may need support when returning to their previous workplace or looking for a new profession.
One of the key areas I proposed developing was the integration of veterans into work teams. Employers need to understand that a person is returning not from vacation but from an entirely different life experience. Colleagues need to be told how to interact properly with veterans, which statements are best avoided, what may become a trigger, and why it is important not to invalidate the experience the person has gone through.
For example, one should not say to a veteran: "I didn’t send you there." Many of us made the decision voluntarily, put on our uniforms ourselves, and went to defend the country. Such words can provoke a very strong reaction. Therefore, it is important not simply to return a veteran to the workplace but also to prepare the environment in which they will work.
- How did your proposals ultimately turn into a concrete opportunity to join the work of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine?
- After several meetings, I called Serhii Serhiiovych once again to find out how work on my proposals was progressing. Later, he invited me to a meeting and said something like: "You have very good proposals. Would you like not merely to submit them but to work directly on implementing them?".
I was offered the opportunity to join the team of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine. I agreed but asked for approximately a week to familiarize myself with the job responsibilities, understand my powers, and assess what exactly I would be able to do in this position. I was given that time. I met the team, familiarized myself with the work, and was warmly welcomed by the team.
- How did your role in the Federation change, and what areas of work are you currently focused on?
- At first, I headed one of the departments, and later Serhii Serhiiovych suggested that I select candidates from among veterans who could join this work. I found people who had the necessary knowledge, experience, and understanding of how to work in the relevant areas. After that, I was offered the opportunity to hand over management of the department to another veteran and move to the position of adviser to the head of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine. That is how I became an adviser to Serhii Serhiiovych Byzov.
- What does this position mean to you? What opportunities does it open up for providing practical assistance to veterans?
- For me, this is an important step, because now I can not only talk about veterans’ problems but also directly contribute to finding solutions. The Federation of Trade Unions brings together representatives of various fields: energy, the coal industry, manufacturing, science, education, and many other sectors. This is a huge network of work collectives in which many veterans will work or are already working. And it is precisely through these collectives that the importance of properly integrating people after military service can be communicated.
What would you like to say to veterans who are currently going through the process of returning to civilian life and do not always know where to turn for help?
- I would like to address veterans with a simple appeal: do not be afraid to ask for help. Unfortunately, society does not always understand the problems people face after returning from service. But if there is a problem, it is necessary to seek a solution, talk about it, and turn to those who can help.
It is equally important not to be afraid to express your own thoughts and propose ideas. Our experience can be useful not only to other veterans but also to society as a whole. We must remember where we have been, what we fought for, and what we defended our country for.
- In your opinion, what should society’s attitude be toward veterans returning to work? And what role should the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine play in this process?
- We want to reach out to society and show that a veteran is an ordinary person who took a step to defend the Motherland. They want to return to their profession, work, develop, and be part of a team. But this requires not only their own efforts, but also understanding and support from employers, colleagues, and society as a whole.
That is why the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine can play an important role in this process. Trade unions have the opportunity to work directly with work collectives, help them prepare for veterans’ return, explain the specific features of adaptation, and create conditions in which a person can once again feel needed. And this should not be merely formal employment, but a full-fledged return to life.