Before combat begins, during the fight and after the battle ends, the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Center for Psychological and Moral Support is there for the troops and their families

From pre-deployment training to social and spiritual programs meant to heal the mind and soul, this AFU Directorate is focused on the well-being of the soldier and victory for the country.

In a nondescript building located not far from the heart of Kyiv, Major General Vladislav Klochkov of the Ukrainian Army leads a team responsible for overseeing the well-being of nearly a million members of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and, as an extension, their families as well.

General Klochkov, who at one time commanded the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s 93rd Brigade, took over the AFU’s Directorate of Psychological and Moral Support just months before the commencement of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

At that time, the Ukrainian military consisted of 200,000 professional soldiers, but its ranks swelled within hours of Ukraine coming under attack by Kremlin forces. With almost 800,000 additional service men and women joining the original force, General Klochkov and his team found themselves needing to scale up not just services but their understanding of this new-looking force, as most of the newcomers came straight from the civilian sector, without even the most basic understanding of what war was.

The Directorate, more casually known as the “Center,” is tasked with oversight of areas ranging from the psychological aspect of battlefield training to chaplaincy services, gender policy, and family-based healing programs.

With significant experience in hands-on leadership, in addition to his time heading the 93rd, General Klochkov was also co-commander of the joint Ukraine-NATO training exercises known as Rapid Trident, the General’s knowledge of military life at both war and rest was integral in guaranteeing the Center understood how to respond to the psycho-social needs and spiritual care for those in service to their country.

Moving forward, one of the General’s goals is to spread awareness to Ukraine’s military partners as to what programs and processes have worked to keep Ukrainian soldiers psychologically engaged, morally strong, and emotionally ready to continue liberating their country after more than 20 months of active combat.

For more information on General Klochkov and the Center’s programs, you can follow him for updates on LinkedIn.