Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs Inna Drahanchuk says that about 14% of veterans and their families will need psychosocial support, and 3% - professional psychological assistance.

"The principle of voluntariness of services in the field of mental health is basic. No one can be obliged. However, the maximum availability of psychological rehabilitation must be ensured. The declarative requirement for mandatory psychological rehabilitation of military personnel was already spelled out in the previous version of Article 11 of the law on social and legal protection of military personnel and members of their families. In fact, it was never implemented. That's why in March the law was amended to provide that the state guarantees the defenders free psychological assistance," Drahanchuk said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

The deputy minister noted that the responsibility of the ministry in this matter is persons who are dismissed from military service or have already been dismissed, and during military service, the responsibility for providing such assistance lies with the psychological and medical services of the security and defense sector.

Drahanchuk also said that according to the estimates of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, after the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war, there may be more than 4 million veterans and their family members in the country, 70-80% of whom survived crisis situations.

"However, according to experts, about 80% will be able to overcome them on their own, subject to social support, 14% will need psychosocial support (support from the environment and psychologists), and 3% will need professional psychological help. Accordingly, the majority will need psychosocial support at the community level and 4 times less – psychological and comprehensive rehabilitation," the official said.

The expert also called the solution of the issue of the lack of professional personnel in the field of psychological rehabilitation of veterans critical.

At the same time, according to her, there is a significant number of powerful professional associations in Ukraine that can take on issues of professional development and ethics in the work of psychologists and psychotherapists.