Russian soldiers face rising PTSD crisis amidst war in Ukraine
One in five soldiers returns from the front in Ukraine with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and is admitted to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The report was presented by Deputy Defense Minister Anna Cyvilova, Putin's cousin.
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Vladimir Putin dismissed four deputy ministers in the Ministry of National Defense on Monday and replaced them with new faces. Among them is his cousin Anna Cyvilova, known as "All-Powerful Anna".
Cyvilova will be responsible for providing social and housing services to military personnel. She will also oversee the cooperation between the Ministry of National Defense and the Homeland Defense Foundation, which she heads. Her husband Sergey Cyvilov, who previously served as the governor of the Kemerovo region, took over the Ministry of Energy in May.
Soldiers battle PTSD
One in five soldiers returning from the war in Ukraine is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the new Deputy Defense Minister reported.
- It's about 20 percent. Such a diagnosis requires serious, long-term work by a psychiatrist and a medical psychologist with pharmacological support. But, of course, everyone who returns from the military zone needs psychological support – Cyvilova said in an interview with Vedomosti.
Lack of specialists to work with veterans
According to Cyvilova, early-diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder can be treated with therapy from a psychologist, often without the use of medication. However, she emphasized that there is currently a shortage of psychologists who could work with war participants.
It's important for a person to have a perspective on life, even if they have suffered an injury or are disabled. Our veterans are young boys. They have families and small children and need to work and be supported by society—Putin's cousin emphasized.
According to data from the Russian Ministry of Health, every fourth soldier participating in the war who sought psychological help was referred to a psychiatrist.
Source: "Moscow Times"
