Veterans Struggle for Jobs

The independent outlet Verstka examined how authorities are helping veterans of Russia’s War on Ukraine reintegrate into civilian life through retraining and employment programs, and whether those efforts are producing real results.

They're falling short.

Since the start of the war, more than 300 federal and regional initiatives aimed at helping veterans find jobs have been launched across Russia by state bodies and affiliated organizations, according to Verstka’s analysis.

The state-backed foundation Zashitniki Rodiny (Defenders of the Fatherland) said in late 2025 that more than 16,500 persons had contacted its regional offices for help with employment. Officials claimed that 55 percent of them found work, including more than 2,500 through job fairs. 

One of the most prominent federal initiatives is Vremya Geroyev (Time of Heroes), launched in March 2024 to prepare former soldiers for government service. However, veterans who completed the program and received public-sector posts often occupy nominal roles, according to a Verstka source close to the presidential administration. The program’s real goal, the source said, is not staffing government positions but boosting the appeal of military service and contract enlistment. "No one actually needs a real leader with a military background," the source said.

In some regions, employment assistance for returning soldiers is handled by standard job centers rather than specialized initiatives. The Astrakhan Regional Employment Service reported that, since 2022, it has helped 73 veterans and 235 family members find jobs. It said 27 service members and 92 relatives completed retraining courses and obtained new qualifications.

Some employers say they are willing to hire veterans. Viktor Lebedev, head of Turbotekhservice, a company repairing equipment for armored vehicles used in the war, said he is ready to consider veterans for open positions. Others are less receptive. On Russia’s Pervyi Canal (Channel One) television, former soldier Timur Gromov said he was unable to secure factory work and now earns a living as a courier. He said he learned, unofficially, that employers rejected him because he is a veteran.

Edinaya Rossiya (United Russia), the ruling party, has also promoted employment initiatives. In the spring of 2024, lawmaker Andrei Isayev said the party had launched a nationwide program to help participants in the war find work. In the Moscow Oblast town of Klin, deputies and activists were assigned to assist each military family with career guidance. In Sergeyev Posad, the party reported that 76 veterans completed retraining in fields ranging from design and cooking to rattan weaving.

Assessing the true scale of unemployment among returning soldiers is difficult. In December 2025, the state news agency RIA Novosti reported that 250,000 veterans were unemployed, citing a senior Kremlin official. The figure was later edited out and replaced with a vague reference to "tens of thousands."

Veterans with disabilities face the greatest challenges. One former soldier, injured by a land mine in 2024, told Verstka that he remains effectively unemployed and believes disabled veterans are unwanted by employers. Employers also cite concerns about psychological health and post-traumatic stress disorder.