Russia struggles to employ returning war veterans, Ukrainian intelligence says
Russia is struggling to find suitable jobs for veterans returning from the war against Ukraine, according to Ukraine's foreign intelligence service. Of 15,000 veterans who sought employment assistance in 2025, 52% found work, while remote jobs were almost nonexistent.
Hovedpunkter
- Russian employment services and employers announced 449,000 vacancies for veterans in 2025.
- 15,000 veterans sought help finding work in 2025.
- 7,800 veterans were employed, representing 52% of those seeking assistance.
- Among 5,000 veterans with disabilities, 2,100 were employed, or 42%.
- Among 1,200 veterans with criminal convictions, 638 were employed, or 51%.
- Only 775 of the announced vacancies offered remote work, and six people actually obtained it.
- Russia issued about 215,300 foreign-worker permits from January to September 2026, 21% more than a year earlier.
Hvorfor det er vigtigt
The reported difficulties point to broader problems in reintegrating returning service members into Russia's labor market. Most veterans seeking help did not find work, remote employment was extremely limited, and Russia has increasingly relied on foreign labor despite an estimated need for millions of workers by 2032.
Hvad der skete
Ukrainian intelligence reported that Russia is struggling to provide returning veterans with employment. In 2025, Russian employment services and employers said they had prepared 449,000 vacancies, but only 15,000 veterans sought job-search assistance and 7,800 were employed. Employment was also limited among veterans with disabilities and criminal convictions. Just 775 advertised positions offered remote work, and only six veterans actually obtained it. At the same time, Russian authorities issued substantially more permits for foreign workers during January–September 2026 than in the comparable period of 2025.
Sådan beskriver ukrainske kilder det
Ukrainian reporting emphasizes that Russia appears to lack an effective approach to employing returning veterans. The contrast between hundreds of thousands of announced vacancies, limited actual job placements, scarce remote opportunities and rising issuance of foreign-worker permits is presented as evidence of the problem.
Baggrund
Russian employment services and employers reported preparing 449,000 vacancies for veterans in 2025, while Ukraine's intelligence service attributed veterans' post-front employment difficulties to Russia's inability to provide suitable jobs. Experts estimate that Russia's economy will need about 12 million workers by 2032.