russia Doesn’t Know What to Do with War Veterans upon Their Return from the Front Lines

In 2025, russian employment services, together with employers, announced the creation of 449,000 job openings for veterans of the war against Ukraine. However, only 15,000 people sought assistance in finding work. This disparity indicates either a deep distrust of government programs or a reluctance on the part of the veterans themselves to use them. Even among those who applied, only 7,800 people – 52% – found work. The rest remained unemployed.

For russians with disabilities and former convicts, the situation is even worse. Of the 5,000 “veterans” with disabilities, 2,100 – 42% – found work. Among the 1,200 people with criminal records, 638 – or 51% – were employed. These figures demonstrate that russian employers are not prepared to hire former military personnel on a large scale, especially those with additional limitations.

The results regarding remote work are telling. Of the 449,000 advertised job openings, only 775 offered remote employment. In reality, only six people were hired for such positions.

russia’s authorities are unable to secure employment even for those participants in the war of aggression who themselves seek assistance. Behind the high-profile reports of support lies a failure: upon returning from Ukraine, these people find themselves unwanted by both the labor market and the system that promised to take care of them.

At the same time, russia continues to bring in migrant workers from “far abroad” amid a labor shortage that has worsened due to the war against Ukraine. From January through September, the ministry of internal affairs issued approximately 215,300 work permits to foreign citizens, which is by 21% more than during the same period in 2025. According to experts’ estimates, russia’s economy will need about 12 million workers by 2032.