Standing by Veterans and Their Families: The Support Provided by East SOS

In January 2026, the East SOS team launched a comprehensive support program for veterans and their families. This includes direct assistance within our programs, providing legal and social support, as well as referrals to specialized partner organizations.

A significant number of requests from veterans and their families require personalized assistance and long-term counseling. These requests primarily focus on accessing benefits and entitlements, determining disability status, navigating social and legal procedures, and obtaining rehabilitation equipment.

Between January and March 2026, our legal protection team provided 115 consultations. Meanwhile, the social support team took on 15 people for long-term case management, providing the ongoing support they needed. The team also established partnerships with key specialists and organizations, including the Office of the Commissioner for Persons Missing Under Special Circumstances and the Association of Mothers and Wives of Ukraine’s Defenders in Mykolaiv Oblast.

Our psychologists, lawyers, social workers, and case managers undergo specialized training tailored to address the specific needs of veterans. In particular, our specialists have completed a training course delivered by the NGO Pryncyp and are currently continuing their professional development under the guidance of lawyer and veteran Yana Maksymenko.

“Our work in supporting veterans is currently actively evolving. We are expanding our partner network, planning regular field visits, and strengthening cooperation with organizations that support veterans. Our goal is to develop a consistent approach to supporting the families of service members and providing social and legal support to veterans within their hromadas,” said Iryna Kratiuk, Social Support Coordinator at East SOS.

If you are a veteran or a family member of a service member in need of assistance, please reach out to the East SOS regional team at our Zatyshno Space psychosocial and legal support hubs in Mykolaiv and Vinnytsia.

How We Can Help

Information and legal guidance on:

• Benefits, entitlements, and social rights;
  
• Documentation assistance with the paperwork required to apply for benefits and payments;
  
• Guidance on the procedure for obtaining official status (e.g., War Veteran, Combatant, Family Member of a Fallen Defender, or Person Missing Under Special Circumstances).

Individual document support:

• Assistance with preparing and submitting applications, requests, and inquiries;
  
• Support during visits to social protection authorities, public service centers, and other institutions;
  
• Consultations on restoring or clarifying documents.

Psychosocial support:

• Initial psychosocial consultation;
  
• Coordination with social services and relevant organizations;
  
• Individual and group psychological support;
  
• Long-term counseling upon request.

Consultations in case of a missing service member:

• Guidance on the steps to take;
  
• Assistance with gathering and submitting required documents;
  
• Providing contact information for relevant government agencies and services;
  
• Crisis support for families.

Where to seek help:

Vinnytsia, Vasyl Poryka Street, 19 (Room 72)
+38 (095) 877 26 36

Mykolaiv, Marko Kropyvnytskyi Street, 79-A
+38 (099) 790 00 70

The space in Mykolaiv is part of the project Protection and Psychosocial Support for War-Affected Populations in Ukraine’s Frontline Regions, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office. The Vinnytsia center is supported by the Solidarity with Ukraine Program of Fondation de France.

Earlier, we shared how the East SOS team took part in a panel discussion during the Cafe Kyiv Forum in Berlin.