President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska on Jan. 19 visited soldiers undergoing medical treatment after in Kyiv being wounded at the front and discussed issues related to mental health and disability access.
The battlefield toll on Ukrainian soldiers has exacerbated mental health and accessibility challenges nationwide amid Russia's full-scale war.
Zelensky met with soldiers that were injured while fighting in Pokrovsk, Kharkiv Oblast, and Russia's Kursk Oblast.
"We want to thank you for defending our country and our people, for your service across different fronts," the president said.
"Every front is important, and you served on the most challenging ones. You are our heroes, and we are deeply grateful to each of you."
Wounded soldiers were presented with awards, including the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi.
Zelensky and the first lady, alongside Veterans Affairs Minister Natalia Kalmykova, met with military medics and psychologists to discuss the steps the country has taken to combat the negative impact Russia's war has on mental well-being among Ukrainian soldiers.
These include introducing operational combat stress control groups, developing psychological rehabilitation departments within hospitals, and increasing access to education in the field of psychology.
Mental health support should be comprehensive and extend beyond injured soldiers, the first lady said.
"We need to ensure that support is comprehensive. For example, in hospitals, it should extend not only to wounded soldiers but also to their family members and the medical staff working in high-stress conditions," Zelenska said.
Zelensky also highlighted the Movement Without Barriers project, an initiative piloting new wheelchair-accessible routes in 12 cities. The project is being implemented by the community and territorial development ministry as part of Zelenska's initiative.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
