Some 41% of Ukrainians surveyed admit that they may become a veteran in the future, while 53% share the opposite opinion. This is evidenced by the data of the fourth nationwide survey "Image of Veterans in Ukrainian Society", conducted by the Sociological Group "Rating" in cooperation with the Ukrainian Veterans Fund.
Residents of the western Regions, the youngest respondents, men, and those who have relatives and friends who fought in the war from 2014 to the present are most likely to say that they would like to become veterans.
"Particular attention should be paid to the disturbing trend of declining trust in ATO/JFO veterans, according to the survey. This may indicate a growing stigmatisation of veterans and potentially deepening problems with their socialisation and adaptation. If this trend continues, we may witness similar scenarios with regard to veterans who are currently at war after they return home," says Ruslana Velychko-Trifonyuk, Acting Executive Head of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
Despite the increase in the number of families with people who are fighting, the survey shows a decline in the level of absolute trust of the civilian population in veterans of various categories and the military.
"76% of respondents believe that society today respects veterans. At the same time, compared to the survey in September 2023, their number has hardly changed (in September, it was 79%). Today, 18% share the opposite opinion. The number of such people is higher among the residents of the Western Regions and young people," said Lyubomyr Misiv, Deputy Director of the Sociological Group "Rating".
67% of Ukrainians believe that one of the main problems for veterans will be misunderstanding from the society. At the same time, a survey conducted in January 2024 among veterans showed that 63.3% of veterans would face misunderstanding from society.
"We regularly conduct nationwide surveys among the civilian population and analyse the needs and attitudes of veterans. We are currently recording an increase in the stigmatisation of defenders. For example, according to a nationwide survey, 86% of Ukrainians believe that veterans will face psycho-emotional instability, while the latest analysis of veterans' attitudes shows that only 50.5% of veterans believe this problem is likely to happen," says Yuliya Kirillova, head of the Ukrainian Veterans Fund's training and analytical department.
More details on the survey can be found on the website of the Ukrainian Veterans Fund.
The survey was conducted on 2-5 March 2024. The sample is representative in terms of age, gender and type of settlement. Sample population: 1,000 respondents. Survey method: CATI. The error of representativeness of the survey with a confidence level of 0.95: no more than 3.1%.