In Poltava, a city with a stern character and rich history, a new support center has opened, changing the rules of engagement between the army and society. This is not just an office, but a full-fledged hub of the GUR special unit "Artan," designed to be a pillar of support for those on the front lines and for those waiting for them at home.
The opening took place on Heroes' Day—a symbolic date that underscores the project's main mission: to remember the fallen and care for the living. Unit commander Viktor Torkotyk clearly defined the philosophy of "Artan": "The unit does not end at the front." This means that support for a soldier does not stop after a combat mission is completed, but continues in the rear, where issues of rehabilitation, employment, and social adaptation are addressed.
No barriers and no bureaucracy
The main idea of the space is to erase the boundaries between military and civilian reality. Here, war ceases to be an abstract concept from news reports. Within the walls of the hub, soldiers, veterans, their families, and business representatives speak the same language. There is no bureaucratic distance: a person comes and receives specific help or simply feels that they are not alone.
The center's functionality is maximally broad and oriented towards the real needs of people:
- Patronage service: Constant support for the families of military personnel, working not episodically, but daily.
- Medical and psychological assistance: Consultations with doctors, rehabilitation specialists, and psychologists for those who have gone through the trials of war.
- Employment: Assistance to veterans in finding new jobs and professional realization.
- Recruiting: Honest meetings with potential soldiers, where real conditions of service are discussed, not romanticized images.
Veteran culture and trust
Returning from war is a separate, difficult stage that is hard for a person to cope with alone. "Artan" creates an environment of "one's own," where a veteran is understood without unnecessary explanations. This is not just a social assistance system, but the formation of a veteran community culture.
For society, such centers become a window into the world of the army. They allow people to see what the unit lives by, ask questions, and really help. As noted in the special unit, war is won not only on the front lines but also in the trust between the army and civil society. The Poltava hub has become the 13th in Ukraine, and "Artan's" plans are ambitious: to open such centers in all regional centers so that no soldier is left without support.
