Social challenges in the reintegration of temporarily occupied Crimea: pathways and capacities for overcoming them

Abstract

The article examines the social challenges of reintegrating the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and identifies pathways and capacities for overcoming them in the post-de-occupation period. The study employs a risk-based and interdisciplinary approach, combining institutional and legal analysis, comparative assessment of post-conflict reintegration cases, and structural analysis of social protection systems, human capital recovery, and cultural resilience. The research identifies systemic social risks, including unemployment, loss of social guarantees, educational disruption, housing conflicts, institutional distrust, and pressure on social protection systems. A matrix of key social risks is developed, along with a framework for digital social governance and a targeted incentive system for rebuilding the personnel reserve. The role of culture, civil society, and international support is substantiated as a functional component of social cohesion. Research conclude – Crimea’s reintegration requires a socially driven, risk-sensitive governance model integrating social protection, human capital development, transitional justice, and institutional trust-building.