Around half of Russian war returnees are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (symbolic image)Image: Shutterstock
The war left deep psychological scars on Russian soldiers. A new study from Moscow shows the extent of psychological stress.
October 27, 2025, 5:25 p.mOctober 27, 2025, 5:25 p.m
Jakob Hartung / t-online
The 22-year-old Russian soldier Andrei Burychin was arrested last year Ukraine wounded. Back in Russia He was taken to a psychiatric clinic, but was released shortly afterwards. Shortly afterwards, Burychin began drinking heavily and, drunk, tried to drive back to his unit in the Chelyabinsk region. His lawyer told the Russian portal “Ura”: “After he learned that his unit was preparing for a new operation, he voluntarily returned to the front.”
Burychin’s story is exemplary for many Russian soldiers who return home from war with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
This is shown by a study published in the journal “Psychiatria” by the Moscow Psychiatric Clinic No. 1. According to this, around half of the 140 veterans examined were diagnosed with PTSD. After treatment, 19 percent were discharged with this diagnosis.
Depression, anxiety, flashbacks
The researchers led by Darya Ryabinina and Georgi Kostjuk found that many of those affected also suffered from depression, anxiety or alcohol addiction. “Despite typical PTSD symptoms, other psychological disorders that are often in the foreground must also be taken into account,” says the study.
The study is the first to systematically record the psychological stress of Russian soldiers who have taken part in the war in Ukraine since 2022. The average age of the patients was 34 years. More than 70 percent had intrusive memories of combat situations, three quarters suffered from anxiety, half from depression and almost half from insomnia.
However, personality changes that can accompany PTSD are particularly stressful for those affected. These often include aggression, emotional instability and outbursts of anger.
“I need a psychiatrist or a sanatorium”
As the Moscow Times reports, soldiers describe that after years at the front they are struggling with nightmares, fear and aggression. “Three years without peace and family, sometimes you just lose control. I need a psychiatrist or a sanatorium,” the newspaper quoted a soldier as saying.
A Russian psychologist told the newspaper that many veterans feel alienated from society. “They feel anger at the indifference of civilians,” he said. “One soldier said he didn’t leave his house for two months so as not to hurt anyone.”
Many traumatized soldiers reach for the glass (symbolic image)Image: Shutterstock
But more and more often, returning soldiers are becoming a threat to those around them. According to “Deutsche Welle”, veterans who were at the front committed around 190 crimes in Russia in 2023, including 55 murders. Many perpetrators were under the influence of alcohol and were shown to suffer from PTSD.
A study from Novosibirsk also recorded 130 soldiers who were receiving psychiatric treatment – almost a quarter after attempting suicide. Soldiers with PTSD symptoms are five times more likely to commit suicide, it says.
Hardly any therapy places, little hope
Despite the obvious need, many soldiers do not seek help. Psychologists attribute this to traditional ideas of masculinity and mistrust of the Russian healthcare system. “For a soldier, admitting to mental problems is seen as a sign of weakness,” a therapist told the Moscow Times.
When those affected finally seek help, the offer is often inadequate. According to the Russian Ministry of Health In 2023, around 11,000 soldiers or their families sought psychological support, but only 15 percent were able to receive treatment, according to “Deutsche Welle”.
The New York Times also reports how poorly the rehabilitation of many injured people is organized. In sanatoriums around Moscow Veterans received medical and psychological care, but the stays usually only lasted two weeks. “The rehabilitation of a person must last a lifetime,” psychologist Svetlana Artemeva told the newspaper.
However, many veterans refused help or returned to the front voluntarily. Experts warn that the psychological consequences of the war could burden Russia for years to come.
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