Commentary on the anniversary of the Russia’s attack on Ukraine
Jana Javakhishvili, Global Crisis – Armed Conflict Theme Leader, Global Collaboration on
Traumatic StressFebruary 24, 2023

February 24 marked one year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine; one year ofindiscriminate bombings and shelling, deaths of thousands of civilians, forced migration ofmillions, harrowing realities emerging from regions liberated from Russian occupation – mass
graves, torture, rape, and other crimes against humanity.
“Ukraina Peremozhet” (“Ukraine will win”) is a motto, a mantra, a prayer shared and recited bymillions of Ukrainians, and we see the truth behind this slogan. Unprecedented resilience,
fortitude and unity of Ukrainian people has shown the world that people of Ukraine will notsurrender. They fight to defend freedom and democracy and they do this with dignity andmeaning.
As an international professional psychotrauma community, we are especially proud of our
Ukrainian colleagues, who, from the very beginning of the full-scale war, are showing a
tremendous skills of coping and resilience.
Many of our colleagues are acting as the first responders in the field of mental health andpsychosocial aid, providing critical resources to their fellow citizens and helping to survive;
some enlisted in the army to provide mental health support to the deployed soldiers; many, incollaboration with the colleagues from the different countries, are initiating and participating invarious capacity building programs to be prepared to respond to the population’s mental healthneeds after the war; many are looking ahead and considering not only mental health care, butalso mechanisms of international justice.
When the war ends, a lot of efforts will be invested to bring the country to the pre-disasterstatus. But we also know that there is a potential for breakthrough and achieving better thanpre-disaster condition. Providing necessary resources and support to promote such adevelopment should be the task of the international community.
How can we, as an international psychotrauma community, assist our Ukrainian colleagues inthis? It is important to continue support of Ukrainian mental health professionals in enhancing
trauma care system. There is a solid knowledge and experience cumulated in our field that
could be transferred, as well as there should be an awareness that we could learn from ourUkrainian collegues as well. Therefore, it is important:-To be sensitive towards needs of the Ukrainian society as well as the needs of thevarious communities and target groups as IDPs, Refugees, kids and young people,

veterans, people with mental disorders, etc. The best evidence on mental health andpsychosocial support needs to be applied, adjusted and inform corresponding policies
and practices-To take into consideration not only needs but also resources of the targetedcommunities, families and individuals, while planning and implementing interventions.
As we usually state: resilience, self- and community-efficacy should be emphasized-To be sensitive towards the local culture and take into consideration specific factors that
influence symptoms presentations, relevance and applicability of particularinterventions-

Be aware that an important experience of provision of mental health and psychosocial
support to the people in need amid ongoing war is being cumulated nowadays inUkraine, and this unique experience needs attention and conceptualization – to gather
new evidences of good practices and learn from experiences, to have a „2-way street“
where international and local best evidences meet and enrich each other-Studies should be planned and implemented (and corresponding local research capacitybuilt) to assess the changing needs of different groups, to inform psychosocial supportand mental health care policies. Effectiveness of the interventions should be measured,and research and clinical practice should be bridged to assure properly tailored care

-To consider development of trauma-informed and trauma-focused care within thelarger context of mental health responses and support the ongoing mental healthreform in the country – via gradual deconstruction of large psychiatric institutions anddeveloping community-based services, fostering multidisciplinary approach, introducing
transdiagnostic methods-

To foster intersectoral collaboration considering the human rights’ and justicedimension as there is no mental health wellbeing without justice.