In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska visited a hospital, meeting with wounded warriors and the medical staff aiding their recovery.
Currently, this medical facility is treating soldiers who fought in the Pokrovsk direction, in the Kharkiv region, and participated in the Kursk operation.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the warriors for defending Ukraine and honored them with the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III class, the Order "For Courage," III class, and medals "For Military Service to Ukraine" and "To the Defender of the Motherland."
“We want to thank you for defending our country and our people, for your service across different fronts. 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,” the President emphasized.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Olena Zelenska, together with Minister of Veterans Affairs Natalia Kalmykova, also met with representatives of the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and military psychologists.
The meeting participants noted positive changes in the field of mental health in the military sector. These include the introduction of the psychologist specialty, operational combat stress control groups, the development of psychological rehabilitation departments and offices within military medical centers and hospitals, and the establishment of clinical psychologist positions.
The First Lady noted that, according to a survey conducted by the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation under the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, more than half of future female and male veterans – 52.6% –consider psycho-emotional instability to be a very likely challenge after returning from service.
“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,” she remarked.
Additionally, the President and First Lady reviewed the "Barrier-Free Movement" project, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development as part of Olena Zelenska's initiative.
This year, barrier-free routes featuring accessible driveways, walkways, transport, stops, sidewalks, and public spaces will gradually appear in 12 cities and towns, including Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Kropyvnytskyi, Lviv, Rivne, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Slavutych, Ternopil, Bucha, and Opishnia.
“Of course, the state and communities cannot succeed in this without the collaboration of all facilities along these routes. This includes businesses already part of or joining our ‘Business Without Barriers’ community: retail chains, banks, and other establishments are already adapting to meet user needs, and we expect them to help smaller businesses do the same,” the First Lady concluded.
