QUALITY OF HUMAN CAPITAL OF UKRAINE IN CONDITIONS OF MARTIAL ARTS: CHALLENGES OF EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE AND DEMOGRAPHIC LOSSES

Abstract

This article examines the quality of human capital in Ukraine under conditions of full-scale war, demographic crisis, infrastructure destruction, and mass migration of highly qualified personnel. The analysis is based on comprehensive statistical data regarding life expectancy, access to medical services, budget expenditures on healthcare, maternal and infant mortality rates, as well as dynamics of educational indicators across various regions. The study reveals systematic degradation of key human capital components: significant reduction in the volume and quality of medical services, sharp decline in life expectancy particularly among working-age population, intensification of gender and regional disparities in STEM education, acute shortage of researchers and scientific personnel, and critically insufficient funding for science and innovation sectors. Particular attention is devoted to the strategic role of higher education and STEM disciplines as fundamental instruments for youth retention, talent development, and ensuring successful European integration of Ukraine. The research substantiates the necessity of implementing a comprehensive state strategy for post-war human capital recovery through substantially increased investments in education and healthcare systems, profound modernization of medical reform initiatives, effective stimulation of migrant return through attractive employment conditions, and formation of an efficient micro-credentials system aligned with European Qualifications Framework standards. The article emphasizes the critical importance of preserving intellectual potential and preventing further brain drain, which poses existential threats to Ukraine's competitive capacity in the rapidly evolving global knowledge economy. Special focus is placed on analyzing the complex correlation between wartime challenges and long-term socio-economic consequences for human capital quality, including severe disruption of educational continuity, deterioration of public health infrastructure, erosion of research and innovation capabilities, and weakening of institutional frameworks supporting human development. The findings demonstrate urgent need for targeted policy interventions to rebuild educational institutions, restore healthcare systems, develop digital learning infrastructure, and create favorable conditions conducive to talent repatriation and sustainable human capital development in post-conflict Ukraine for achieving long-term prosperity.