This article contains distressing details and references to suicide. Some names have been changed to protect identities.
As Kateryna recalls the tragic loss of her son Orest, who died by a self-inflicted wound while fighting in Ukraine, it becomes evident that there is a heavy stigma surrounding suicide and mental health in the country. Orest, a once-quiet young man with aspirations of an academic career, was drafted despite being initially deemed unfit for service due to poor eyesight. His mother describes how he became withdrawn and depressed after being deployed, a stark change attributed to the traumatic experiences faced on the front lines.
While official statistics remain unclear, advocacy groups believe that soldier suicides could be in the hundreds, yet these incidents are often dismissed as isolated events. Bereaved families, like Kateryna, experience further heartache as their loved ones are classified as having died 'the wrong way,' stripping them of military honors and recognition.
The story is echoed by other families, such as Mariyana, whose husband Anatoliy took his own life after battling psychological scars from the war. These widows are advocating for a change in governmental policy, demanding equal recognition and support for families of deceased soldiers, regardless of the circumstances of their deaths.
Ukraine's Commissioner for Veterans' Rights, Olha Reshetylova, acknowledges the systemic failures and is calling for reforms to prevent future tragedies. With an urgent need for psychological support and societal understanding, the lingering stigma surrounding soldier suicides poses significant barriers to healing and recognition.
The situation exemplifies a dual tragedy: the immediate loss of life in combat juxtaposed with the unseen scars borne by many soldiers, underscoring a pressing need for change within the mental health framework surrounding combat veterans in Ukraine.
