International

Russia sends soldiers to war but ignores mental trauma they bring home

Published

3 years ago

December 10, 2022

When Vladimir returned from the front line to his hometown in Siberia, his wife barely recognized him.

The nice young man she married in university was gone. Instead, she now lived with a secluded, abusive husband who routinely drank himself into oblivion, brutally beat her and tormented their three children.

Their four years of happy marriage had ended when Vladimir was conscripted into the Soviet army in the mid-1980s and sent to fight in Afghanistan. He rarely spoke about what he experienced, except when the flashbacks occasionally broke through from the depths of his consciousness during drinking bouts.

“He would get so drunk he wouldn’t remember who was in front of him, and he’d confuse us with those on the front line, screaming that he was going to kill us all,” his daughter, Alya, said in an interview, speaking on condition that only first names be used to protect her family’s privacy.

It is now widely understood that psychological injuries remain long after combat ends. And as Russian President Vladimir Putin presses on with his bloody war in Ukraine, it is only a matter of time before thousands of veterans begin returning from the front — to their families and to a failed mental health care system that many experts say is no better equipped to help them than it was when the Afghanistan war ended in 1989, or after two wars in Chechnya in the 1990s and 2000s.

Violent altercations involving soldiers who returned from Ukraine this year are already piercing through the slumber of Russian society, which has tried to tune out the war from daily life.

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In September, a soldier who recently returned from “behind the ribbon,” a euphemism for the Ukrainian border, walked into a pizzeria in Tula and hit the owner with a metal chair, reportedly dissatisfied by the look the owner gave him.

A month earlier, in Rostov-on-Don near the Ukrainian border, the captain of a missile regiment shot a taxi driver who said he opposed the invasion of Ukraine, according to local media.

Already more Russian soldiers have been killed in nine months of war in Ukraine — more than 25,000, according to British Defense Ministry estimates — than in the decade-long Soviet mission in Afghanistan, in which 15,000 died.

“When soldiers return from Ukraine, their families and friends will be the first ones to suffer because the soldiers will go nuts from all the injustice,” said Dmitry Florin, a journalist and a veteran of the Second Chechen War. “And if later it starts to dawn on them that the whole war in Ukraine is one of the biggest deceptions of this century, and that they were sent there like cattle to kill people with their own hands, it will be a nightmare.”

“After their relatives, the state will be their next target of placing anger and their main enemy,” Florin added, “as it is the state that ruined their lives.”

Florin said that his tours in Chechnya still haunt him in a recurring nightmare, where a general orders him to go back even though he quit military years ago.

He said that the authorities effectively discarded many of his comrades after their return from the war. Promised financial payments were often never received — Florin sued his local military office for eight years to get his — and officials dismissed their requests for any rehabilitation or psychological help.

The only counseling, Florin said, was during mandatory “prep” sessions before each deployment to Chechnya, which he said felt more like ideological indoctrination with “hate lessons.”

The war in Ukraine means that Russian men born in the late 1990s or early 2000s will grapple with the same lack of support provided to Russian men born in the 1960s to 1980s who served in the military operations in Afghanistan and Chechnya, which as in Ukraine now, the Kremlin refused to call “wars.”

While the Kremlin’s use of euphemisms is commonly viewed as part of a propaganda campaign, the lack of a formal war declaration can have legal and financial implications for Russian soldiers who, as a result, may not technically qualify as being eligible for veterans’ benefits.

Soldiers who fought in Afghanistan and Chechnya were eventually granted veteran status and modest benefits similar to those who served in World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War, but they hardly basked in glory.

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A conflict in a foreign land, Afghanistan, that was at first hidden from the population and the “counterterrorism” operations to suppress Chechen guerrillas in a rebellious territory seemed alien compared to the Red Army’s defense of mainland Russia against Nazi Germany that became a pillar of Soviet identity.

Instead, “Afghantsi,” as the Afghan veterans are commonly referred to in Russia, were quickly forgotten by the state and did not find sympathy in the general public. The chaos that ensued from the fall of the Soviet Union only exacerbated the situation of widespread and untreated post-traumatic stress and an overall sense of purposelessness experienced by thousands of ex-soldiers.

“Returning from Afghanistan, they could not find a use for themselves, without a profession and education, many of them are forced to drag out a miserable existence, especially those who were injured and became disabled,” concluded a 1993 sociological paper, published by the Russian Academy of Public Administration four years after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. “They no longer had the strength to earn money, and their pensions are barely enough not to starve to death,” the report said.

And if surgeries and prosthetics for missing limbs were eventually obtainable, there was little to no psychological help available to address the trauma veterans suffered.

Even now, there are no centralized Russian rehabilitation programs for veterans of military conflicts and those returning from Ukraine risk being left to their own devices as private organizations struggle to cope with the rise of people needing help, according to a Russian grass-roots support group called War Veterans.

“There are no rehabilitation programs themselves, because no one tests veterans for [psychological] trauma, and its effect on the physical state of the body,” the group said. “There is no individual approach to assessing the condition of combatants and often a common single and ineffective template is applied en masse.”

According to War Veterans, the Russian government provides grants to veterans’ unions and individual groups set up by former soldiers, effectively outsourcing counseling and rehabilitation. The existing network of government-run military sanitariums, a Soviet-era relic where wounded ex-soldiers could spend several weeks for recovery, has also proven to be ineffective. There are few such facilities and even fewer with specialized programs for veterans.

Some Afghantsi, and later Chechnya veterans, formed the core of organized crime groups that defined much of the 1990s in Russia. Amputees in military uniforms begging for money on the streets or veterans busking on town squares singing wartime songs were a frequent scene in Russia in the 1990s and 2000s. Alcoholism and drug use spiked among former combatants, often hand in hand with domestic abuse.

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Zinky Boys, Svetlana Alexievich’s collection of firsthand accounts from the war in Afghanistan, which is probably one of the fullest depictions of the disarray experienced by soldiers and their families, opens with a monologue by a mother whose son killed a neighbor with a kitchen ax and put it back into her cupboard as if nothing unusual had happened.

The book paints a picture of forgotten soldiers, left to fight their demons and the chaotic Russian bureaucracy on their own.

“When Afghantsi came to the authorities to solve some problems, they were always told: ‘I didn’t send you to Afghanistan,’ ” retired Col. Leonid Khabarov recalled in a 2019 Current Time TV special commemorating 30 years since the Soviet withdrawal, referring to years-long legal battles for compensation and health care promised by the state.

According to Alya, her family only realized Vladimir was dealing with a severe case of PTSD later in life, as they had never heard the term and access to psychological help was severely limited.

There were no one-on-one counseling sessions. Vladimir went to several group meetings set up for Afghan veterans, but they only triggered him, and each gathering led to drunken violence. Vladimir was especially harsh on his son.

Alya’s mother for years tried to protect her children from abuse, but constant beatings took a toll on her mental and physical health. She also developed an alcohol addiction, barely left the house in her final years, and died recently from liver failure. Neither Alya nor her elder siblings married or had children, fearing they might carry the abuse and trauma into a new generation.

“We discuss it often with my brother: Should we, with our family experience, ever have kids? Will we be able to raise normal people, or will we turn into our parents?” Alya said.

“People who will be returning soon from Ukraine are not only traumatized but also corrupted by all-permissiveness,” Alya said. “This won’t be just something they keep in the families; it will pour onto the streets.” She added: “There will be thousands of men just like my father, and it won’t be safe either for them and for us.”

The Washington Post

Related Topics:Featured mental trauma Russia war

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International

Israel Strikes Iranian Military Targets in Retaliation for Missile Attack

Published

22 minutes ago

June 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Smoke rising over Tehran, Iran, following airstrikes on military targets.

Israel Strikes Iranian Military Targets in Retaliation for Missile Attack

Jerusalem/Tehran – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched airstrikes on military targets in western and central Iran early Monday, hours after Iran fired ballistic missiles at northern Israel in the first direct attack between the two nations since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April.

The IDF said its aircraft struck military sites belonging to the “Iranian terror regime,” including areas near Tehran, Tabriz, and Isfahan. Iranian state media reported multiple explosions in those cities. The strikes also hit the Karun Mahshahr Petrochemical Company in Khuzestan Province, marking the first reported attack on an Iranian energy-related site since the April 8 ceasefire.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, defended the strikes, stating that “no self-respecting country” would accept missile attacks on its territory. He added that Israel was targeting Iranian surface-to-surface missile launch sites and infrastructure not related to the energy sector.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that Israel used air-launched ballistic missiles in the strikes and warned that if Israel expands its attacks on southern Lebanon or responds further, it will face more “crushing and regretful blows.”

The Iranian missile barrage on Sunday targeted Israel’s Ramat David Air Base in northern Israel, according to the IRGC. The attack was in response to recent Israeli strikes on Hezbollah positions in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The IDF said it intercepted the incoming projectiles, with no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage in Israel.

The IRGC claimed its forces struck two Israeli air bases—Nevatim and Tel Nof—during the operation it codenamed “Victory” (Nasr). Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that the Mahshahr special petrochemical economic zone was being evacuated following the Israeli strikes. The Tehran fire department confirmed that no urban areas in the capital had been targeted, with explosions limited to military sites. Iran temporarily closed the airspace around Tehran’s main international airport following the attacks.

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President Donald Trump reportedly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint and avoid retaliatory action to preserve de-escalation efforts, telling Axios, “Hopefully Israel is not going to retaliate… Each of them had their fun. We don’t need another one.” However, Israel proceeded with the strikes despite the president’s appeal. Trump told the Financial Times that Netanyahu “doesn’t call the shots” and would have “no choice” but to accept a deal with Iran, signaling a widening rift between the two allies as the administration seeks to wind down the conflict.

The exchanges mark the latest breach of the fragile ceasefire arrangements that followed the wider U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which began in late February 2026. A senior U.S. official described Israel’s strikes as “relatively limited” in scope. The escalation threatens to derail sensitive talks to end the wider conflict and cast the region back into chaos. Iran has demanded a ceasefire in Lebanon before an accord can be reached with the U.S., while Hezbollah last week rejected a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

No immediate casualty figures were available from the Iranian side. Both countries have issued warnings of further escalation as the situation continues to develop, with the IDF calling up reserve battalions and reinforcing fronts, including forces continuing operations in southern Lebanon.

Israel Strikes Iranian Military Targets in Retaliation for Missile Attack

International

Grammy-Winning Nigerian-British Singer Stabbed to Death in UK

Published

47 minutes ago

June 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Mark Yinka Orabiyi, professionally known as Talay Riley

Grammy-Winning Nigerian-British Singer Stabbed to Death in UK

London, United Kingdom – The music world is in mourning following the tragic death of Grammy-winning Nigerian-British singer and songwriter Mark Yinka Orabiyi, professionally known as Talay Riley, who was stabbed to death in east London on Friday morning. He was 35 years old.

The incident occurred around 9 a.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026, on Rayleigh Road in Silvertown, east London. Police responded to reports of a stabbing and discovered Riley in the garden of a property suffering from multiple stab wounds. Despite emergency services’ efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A second victim, a man in his 20s, was also found with multiple stab wounds and was transported to a hospital. As of Sunday evening, he remained receiving treatment, but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that homicide detectives from the Specialist Crime Command have launched a murder investigation. Three suspects were initially arrested on suspicion of murder: a 27-year-old man, a 24-year-old man, and a 25-year-old woman.

According to police statements, the 27-year-old suspect has been released on bail pending further enquiries, while the 24-year-old man and 25-year-old woman have been released with no further action.

In a heartbreaking statement released through police, Riley’s family described their loss with overwhelming sadness.

“It is with overwhelming sadness that we confirm that Mark ‘Yinka’ Orabiyi, professionally known as Talay Riley, passed away yesterday morning,” the family statement read.

They continued: “Talay will fondly be remembered by those who knew him publicly for his incredible talent as a Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum-selling songwriter and artist. For those that knew and loved him personally, it is his humour, generous spirit and unmistakable presence that will be missed the most.”

The family also described Riley as “a beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend. He brought love, light, and joy to our family and to all who knew him. We will always cherish his kindness, beautiful spirit, and remarkable talent. His presence touched many lives, and his memory will remain in our hearts forever. May his soul rest in perfect peace.”

Riley’s younger brother, Michael Orabiyi Riley, known professionally as Scribz Riley—a successful music producer and songwriter in his own right—shared an emotional tribute on Instagram that revealed the heartbreaking details of their final conversation.

“I never thought the day would come where I’d be writing this, but unfortunately I can confirm that in the morning of Friday 5th June my big brother YINKA (Talay Riley) passed away,” he wrote.

“My heart is shattered! This doesn’t feel real. It feels like a bad dream. Just before he went to sleep we spoke about the future, staying positive and about everything we still had left to do. I never imagined that would be our last conversation.”

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He continued: “Yinka wasn’t just my brother. He was my mother’s son, a friend to many, a mentor, an inspiration, and a light in so many people’s lives. Even with everything you accomplished this was far too soon. I love you brother. Thank you for everything. Rest in paradise Yinka. Until we meet again.”

Born Mark Yinka Orabiyi in London in 1990, Talay Riley had Nigerian heritage and grew up in East London in a family where music played a central role. He entered the music industry at the young age of 18 after securing a publishing deal with Global Publishing.

His career gained wider recognition following a feature on Chip’s 2009 single ‘Look For Me,’ after which he signed with Jive/Sony Records. Over the years, he toured across the United Kingdom and the United States, sharing stages with major artists including Skepta, Usher, and Trey Songz.

However, it was behind the scenes that Riley made some of his most significant marks. He built an impressive songwriting portfolio that included credits on tracks for some of the biggest names in pop and R&B. His songwriting credits include Chip’s UK No.1 hit ‘Oopsy Daisy,’ Khalid’s global smash ‘Young Dumb & Broke,’ Dua Lipa’s ‘Last Dance,’ as well as work with H.E.R., Chris Brown, Usher, Britney Spears, Kehlani, Craig David, Ella Mai, Nick Jonas, Zendaya, Tinie Tempah, and The Chainsmokers. At the time of his death, he had 76,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

News of Riley’s death prompted an outpouring of grief from across the music industry, with fellow artists and collaborators sharing their shock and condolences on social media.

Craig David, who worked with Riley, commented: “Sending so much love to you & the family. His beautiful energy will continue to be felt & shown from the other side.”

Kehlani shared: “Big hugs scribz i’m so sorry.”

R&B superstar Khalid wrote: “I’m so sorry bro… im sending you so much love.”

Riley’s longtime friend and collaborator, rapper Chip, delivered an emotional tribute on Instagram: “You aint deserve to go out like that fam. Fly high bro. Your pen will live forever. What a day man. What a life. RIP Talay Riley. I’ll cherish the memories forever fam. Prayers and thoughts go out to your family.”

Stormzy was also among the famous artists to pay tribute to the singer. This Morning presenter Rochelle Humes commented: “May he rest in peace. I will always remember how kind he was to everyone and his friendly smile.”

Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, who is leading the investigation, appealed to the public for assistance.

“This is a tragic incident and my thoughts remain with Mark’s family and loved ones,” she said.

“We are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who might have CCTV or other footage from the morning of the incident that could assist our investigation.”

Specialist officers are providing support to Riley’s family during this difficult time. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 1868/5JUN, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Grammy-Winning Nigerian-British Singer Stabbed to Death in UK

International

Iran Fires Multiple Missile Waves at Israel in First Attack Since April Ceasefire

Published

11 hours ago

June 7, 2026

Trends Admin

Iran Fires Multiple Missile Waves at Israel in First Attack Since April Ceasefire

JERUSALEM/TEHRAN – Iran on Sunday launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, escalating tensions in the Middle East as Tehran warned that further attacks would continue for days and could expand to include more targets linked to Israel and the United States.

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) described the strikes as a warning to Israel, saying the action was a response to what it called Israeli aggression, including an earlier attack on Lebanon. According to the IRGC, ballistic missiles were fired at the Ramat David Airbase, located southeast of the northern Israeli city of Haifa. The group also accused the United States and Israel of violating commitments under a ceasefire agreement that took effect in early April.

In a statement, the IRGC declared: “This operation is not a passing event, but rather the beginning of a full week of continuous strikes.” It added: “Waves of missiles and drones will continue to be launched around the clock for the next seven days until the enemy is deterred and ceases its crimes.” The IRGC further warned that “any targeting of Iranian territory will be met with a devastating and overwhelming response beyond all expectation.” The Iranian military body further warned that if Israel repeated what it described as aggressive actions, its response would be wider in scope and would target all American and Israeli interests across the region.

IRGC Aerospace Commander Majid Mousavi declared “promise fulfilled” following the strikes, according to Iranian media reports. Meanwhile, Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, wrote on X: “The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly stated that it will not tolerate violations of the ceasefire and aggression against Lebanon. Tonight, the aggressors received their response.”

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United States President Donald Trump called on Iran to halt further attacks and resume diplomatic engagement following the missile launches. The White House confirmed Trump had been briefed on the strikes. A Fox News correspondent quoted Trump as saying: “You’ve shot your missiles. That’s enough. Get back to the table and make a deal.” Trump also reportedly expressed displeasure with Israel’s earlier strike on Beirut, telling Fox News: “I’m not happy about it.” According to Axios, Trump said he was in contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding: “I’m calling Netanyahu right now and telling him not to attack Iran in response.”

The Jerusalem Post later reported that Trump asked Netanyahu to avoid striking Iran in retaliation. “If Netanyahu strikes them back, it’s just gonna keep going like the last 47 years, or last 3,000 years,” Trump said. “We can achieve peace after 3,000 years.”

Israel’s military said its air defence systems had successfully responded to the attack. The Israel Air Force said it had intercepted “all the missiles launched from Iran so far.” It added that “additional launches” had been detected and that Israeli forces were continuing efforts to track and neutralise incoming threats. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that sirens had been sounded in “several areas across the country.” An IDF spokesperson, Brig Gen Effie Defrin, stated that Iran had made a “grave mistake” and that Israel was “prepared for the possibility of additional fire.”

However, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir struck a more aggressive tone, posting in Hebrew on X: “Tonight, Tehran must burn!” following the attacks on northern Israel. Senior Israeli officials told Channel 12 News that Israel will “respond forcefully” to the Iranian missile attacks, adding that Israel “cannot allow a situation in which Iran fires at Israel in response to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in Beirut.”

The Iranian attack occurred hours after Israel struck southern Beirut — the first attack on the Lebanese capital since a US-brokered truce was reached last week. Two air strikes on two residential apartment buildings in the Dahieh district — a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah — killed at least two people and injured at least 20, including women and children, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Anadolu Ajansı reported that the death toll from Sunday’s Israeli airstrikes on Beirut and southern Lebanon had risen to eight killed and 13 injured. At least two of those killed were in the Beirut strike, while six others died in airstrikes on villages in the Nabatieh area.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had struck “terrorist headquarters in the Dahieh district of Beirut, in response to Hezbollah’s firing at Israeli territory.” Hezbollah has since confirmed it fired at Israeli military positions. The Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, claimed the army had targeted a Hezbollah infrastructure facility in the area. A joint statement by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed the attack was carried out in response to Hezbollah rocket fire into northern Israel Sunday morning.

The escalation comes just months after a ceasefire between Iran, the US, and Israel came into effect in early April. Sebastian Usher, the BBC’s global affairs correspondent in Jerusalem, noted that the tension between Iran, Israel, and the US over Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon has been building in intensity in recent days. “The possibility of a major new escalation in Lebanon prompted President Trump to tell Netanyahu in the strongest possible language to hold back, for fear that any such action would derail the already fraying ceasefire between the US and Iran,” Usher wrote.

A sketchy new ceasefire was subsequently agreed between the Israeli and Lebanese governments at talks mediated by the US. But that ceasefire appeared to have collapsed after Israel carried out strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut in response to continued rocket fire by Hezbollah into Israel. “Much will now depend on Israel’s response,” Usher added. “There could be a new round of tit-for-tat attacks between the two countries that could reignite the Iran war. How President Trump reacts will also be key. For now, he still seems set on trying to defuse the situation.”

Israel has continued carrying out airstrikes in Lebanon since a Hezbollah cross-border attack in early March. According to Lebanon’s health ministry, the overall death toll since the outbreak of the armed escalation on March 2 has climbed to 3,613, with 11,072 people injured. The IRGC, in its statement, accused the US and Israel of “failing to honour their commitments” under the ceasefire between Iran, the US, and Israel that came into effect in early April. The ceasefire had been seen as a rare diplomatic achievement in the region, but Sunday’s events suggest its foundations were fragile.

The situation remains highly volatile. Key developments to watch include Israel’s response, as Trump has urged restraint but hardliners in the Israeli cabinet including Ben-Gvir are pushing for retaliation; Iran’s promised week of strikes, as the IRGC has pledged to continue launching waves of missiles and drones for seven days; US diplomatic efforts, as President Trump has urged restraint from both sides but his influence over Netanyahu and Tehran may be tested in the coming days; and Hezbollah’s role, as the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon remains actively engaged, and any further Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory could trigger additional escalation.