Support will not end after discharge: what the new recovery program for those released from captivity entails

In Ukraine, the pilot project "Help Without Interruption" has been launched. It is intended to serve as the basis for developing a new state procedure for supporting people released from Russian captivity. The project involves comprehensive medical, psychological, and social assistance that will not be limited to the first months after their return home. Twenty former captives and more than 30 of their family members will take part in the pilot project.

What the program entails and how the relevant ministry will implement it is explained by UNN.

Details

Ukraine is working to create a system of continuous support for citizens who have returned from Russian captivity. Its main goal is to ensure long-term assistance for military personnel and civilians who have endured isolation, torture, and other forms of cruel treatment. According to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, as of October 23, 2026, 9,996 adult Ukrainians had returned from Russian captivity. Among them were 9,084 prisoners of war and 912 civilians.

The consequences of captivity may not become apparent immediately. People who spent several years in captivity often require prolonged psychological recovery, medical rehabilitation, and assistance in returning to everyday life. Currently, state support for such Ukrainians is primarily focused on the first months after their release and the implementation of initial reintegration measures. However, this period is not always sufficient, particularly for those who spent two to four years in Russian captivity, and sometimes considerably longer.

That is why representatives of the Verkhovna Rada, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Ministry of Social Policy, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the state institution "Forest Glade Center for Mental Health and Rehabilitation of Veterans" of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, and the NGO "Forest Glade Resource Center" developed a pilot model for the comprehensive psychological recovery of people released from captivity. The project was named "Help Without Interruption." Its results are intended to be used to prepare a new state procedure that will make it possible to provide support based on a person's actual needs, rather than only for a specified period.

Ruslan Prykhodko, Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine for European Integration, speaking about the initiative, emphasized that the state must create a comprehensive system of assistance for veterans and their families.

There are already more than 2 million people in Ukraine who have participated in hostilities in one way or another. These include war veterans, veterans with disabilities, families of those killed, families of people missing in action, and those who are currently in captivity or have been released from it. A huge number of needs has emerged around these categories. The state feels an urgent need to build a system capable of meeting these needs and fulfilling the essence and goal of state policy - returning people to civilian life and ensuring them a dignified future

How the new assistance model for those who have returned from captivity will work

The project is being implemented with the support of the Partnership for a Strong Ukraine Fund, financed by the governments of the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden. The program is aimed at strengthening Ukraine's resilience amid Russian aggression and supporting communities in cooperation with government bodies and civil society.

Implementation of the new assistance model for those who have returned from captivity began at the Odesa branch of the Forest Glade Center. The program is designed to last nine months and involves a combination of inpatient treatment, psychotherapeutic support, and further assistance after returning home. Support will be organized in five consecutive stages.

The first involves assessing the person's physical and mental condition, determining their needs, and evaluating their readiness for inpatient treatment.

At the second stage, participants will undergo specialized inpatient treatment focused on the consequences of the trauma they experienced. Depending on the patient's individual condition, it will last from four to six weeks. Assistance will be provided by a multidisciplinary team of specialists.

The third stage involves a therapeutic environment aimed not only at psychological recovery but also at the gradual return of the person to social life. For this purpose, a separate psychological support and socialization program has been developed.

The fourth stage is outpatient follow-up. After discharge, patients will continue to receive assistance for three to six months. It will be coordinated by the “Vilnyi Step” public platform, with the involvement of local resources and rehabilitation services.

The fifth area involves supporting family members of those released from captivity. They will be able to receive psychological consultations, including from family and child psychologists, both remotely and during in-person meetings.

Who will be able to participate in the pilot project

At the first stage, the model will be tested on a group of at least 20 Ukrainians who have returned from Russian captivity. Under the project’s terms, 75% of the participants will be veterans, while another 25% will be civilians. It is also anticipated that a quarter of the participants will be women and half will be people with disabilities.

Several main criteria have been established for participation in the program.

In particular, at least nine months must have passed since the person’s release from captivity. In addition, the person must have an established mental health diagnosis, including a stress-related disorder. The presence of comorbidities is also permitted. Participants must provide informed consent, complete an inpatient course of treatment, follow specialists’ recommendations, and agree to further psychotherapeutic support. At the same time, assistance will be provided not only to former captives. The project also provides for the involvement of more than 30 of their family members.

It is also known that more than 20 specialists from the Center will undergo specialized training on working with people who have experienced captivity. Separate supervisory support is planned for more than 10 psychologists and six case managers.

Why those released from captivity need long-term rehabilitation

The need to create such a system is confirmed by data from international human rights organizations.

In particular, according to a report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, published on September 18, 2026, more than 95% of the Ukrainian prisoners of war surveyed reported torture or ill-treatment during their captivity in Russia. More than half of them also reported sexual violence.

Among the surveyed civilians who had been detained, 85% reported torture and ill-treatment. Documented testimonies also mention cases of sexual violence.

Separately, OHCHR interviewed 915 released prisoners of war and detained medical workers. Of these, 572 people, or 63%, provided consistent and detailed testimony about sexual violence. Among those who reported such crimes, 75% experienced several forms of violence, while 27% reported the application of electric current to the genitals. According to the UN, a total of 1,004 cases of conflict-related sexual violence were documented. Of these, 892 cases, or 89%, are attributed to Russian authorities, while another 11% are attributed to Ukrainian authorities.

These data indicate the significant scale of the psychological and physical trauma faced by people after being released from captivity. Against this backdrop,  specialists emphasize that the recovery process may be lengthy, and the need for professional assistance sometimes arises after the completion of initial treatment.

What will change after the pilot project ends

The results of the nine-month “Help Without Interruption” program are planned to be used to develop a new state mechanism for assisting people released from captivity.

Work on it involves three main stages: holding a parliamentary round table, implementing and evaluating the pilot project, and preparing a joint resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The future procedure is expected to enable comprehensive assistance combining medical, psychological, and social support, as well as support for families.

At the same time, a key principle should be the availability of services directly where the released person lives, so that they can receive the necessary assistance without constantly traveling to specialized centers. In the long term, this means moving from a time-limited rehabilitation course to a support system whose duration will be determined by the individual needs of the person.

We remind you

Earlier, we reported that the Cabinet of Ministers approved monthly payments of 50,000 hryvnias to defenders released from captivity for treatment.