THE PHYSICAL SCARS OF RUSSIA’S 2022 INVA-sion of Ukraine are often laid out in painstaking detail—the blood, the gore, the shattered towns and the leveled buildings are plain to see. Less clear at first sight, however, is the mental burden the ongoing war has caused for many Ukrainians, both within the borders of the battle-scarred country and elsewhere across the globe. Nearly 10 million Ukrainians are thought to be at risk of, or are living with, a mental health condition in the country, the World Health Organization evaluated in March 2024.
“A fast-growing need for mental health and psychosocial support services has called for a strong response and innovative solutions from health authorities,” the WHO said.
One team, steered by Israeli trauma expert Professor Mooli Lahad, is hoping to be part of the answer to this increasing demand for support for people struggling with post-traumatic
