War in the Mind: The Psychosocial Fallout of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has witnessed an unprecedented humanitarian and psychological crisis. This review explores the short-term and emerging long-term mental health consequences of the war on Ukrainian civilians, with a focus on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and psychosocial deterioration. Drawing on recent empirical studies, public health assessments, and theoretical insights into trauma and social vulnerability, we analyze how prolonged exposure to shelling, displacement, and systemic collapse impacts civilian populations, particularly children, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and socioeconomically marginalized groups. We argue that mental harm in conflict is stratified, shaped by access to safety, healthcare infrastructure, and structural inequalities. The review calls for an integrated public health and social justice framework to address wartime civilian trauma in Ukraine.