After returning from captivity, military personnel have the right to 90 days of mandatory leave: the Ministry of Defense explained the reintegration procedure

Reintegration of servicemen returning from captivity is one of the key elements of their recovery and return to peaceful life.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has detailed how this system is organized, what measures it covers, and what rights released defenders have after completing the relevant procedures.

Reintegration takes place in three stages

The Ministry of Defense reported that reintegration measures are individually tailored for each serviceman and consist of preparatory, main, and additional stages.

The preparatory stage involves identifying reintegration centers and healthcare institutions where the released servicemen will be sent. At the same time, specialized reintegration teams are formed, whose members undergo appropriate training to work with people who have experienced captivity.

What happens immediately after release

The main stage begins immediately after release.

At the state border, defenders are met by representatives of the Coordination Headquarters, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

After an initial medical examination and interview, servicemen are issued essential items and then sent to reintegration centers or healthcare institutions.

What assistance is provided at reintegration centers

At reintegration centers, released defenders undergo medical examinations, receive necessary treatment, and psychological assistance.

Reintegration teams conduct post-isolation debriefings and decompression, help restore documents, bank cards, and military papers, and provide social support, including organizing communication with relatives and facilitating the receipt of certificates about captivity and circumstances of injuries sustained.

The Ministry also noted that during their stay at the reintegration center, released servicemen observe an information-communication quarantine, which involves using only verified sources of information.

It is worth noting that the information-communication quarantine is a socio-psychological practice of temporarily (up to 14 days) restricting released Ukrainian defenders' access to unverified sources of information and interaction with the social environment outside the reintegration center.

Additionally, as part of reintegration, servicemen undergo a military medical commission that determines the need for further treatment, rehabilitation, prosthetics, or granting leave for recovery.

When the additional stage of reintegration is provided

For defenders who require long-term treatment or recovery, an additional stage of reintegration is provided in specialized medical institutions in Ukraine or abroad.

After completing reintegration, a serviceman who returned from captivity has the right to mandatory leave lasting 90 days, which can be spent on the territory of Ukraine.

After completing all reintegration measures, each defender independently decides on further military service or discharge.

The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that the return of Ukrainian defenders from captivity is only the beginning of their recovery process, and the reintegration system is designed to provide comprehensive support for returning to a full life.

Also read about other guarantees for those released from captivity. Those released are offered a one-year deferral on loans and other payments. In addition, Ukrainians who survived captivity will be able to restore their driver's licenses free of charge.

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