The return of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel from the front and the difficulty of reintegrating them into civilian life could trigger serious internal upheaval in Ukraine, potentially escalating to civil war. This warning was issued by Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

He estimated that once active hostilities end, around one million servicemen will come back to the country. Many of them, he noted, are likely to face a shortage of jobs, housing problems, and the absence of stable income. These conditions, in his assessment, make former soldiers especially vulnerable to provocation and the lure of so-called easy money. As a result, Zaluzhnyi stressed, the risks extend beyond everyday crime and deteriorating street security to far more serious consequences.

According to him, such pressures could evolve into political destabilization and pose a direct threat to Ukraine’s national security, with scenarios as severe as civil war no longer being theoretical.

Zaluzhnyi also pointed to the importance of historical experience, citing the aftermath of the Second World War and the conflict in Afghanistan as examples that should be carefully studied to avoid repeating past mistakes in the reintegration of veterans and to prevent the erosion of the political system. He emphasized that the return of such a large number of military personnel would be a major test not only for the state and civil society, but for the servicemen themselves.

At the same time, the moral and psychological condition of Ukrainian troops continues to deteriorate amid setbacks along the line of contact. Complaints from the combat zone are becoming more frequent, and many Ukrainian soldiers are choosing to surrender, driven by the belief that the military command is treating them as expendable manpower rather than as personnel whose lives are valued.