Zagorulko Sergii, PhD-student of the Department of Marketing, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine

ORCID: 0009-0009-8882-5288
e-mail: s.zagorulko@biem.sumdu.edu.ua

Khomenko Liliia, PhD, Seniour Lecturer of the Department of Marketing, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine

ORCID: 0000-0001-5690-1105
e-mail: l.khomenko@biem.sumdu.edu.ua

Social Resilience of the Population in War Conditions

Abstract. Introduction. The article analyses how the socio-economic behaviour of the Ukrainian population has transformed in wartime conditions, evaluating these changes through the lens of social resilience. The relevance of the study lies in the need for a comprehensive analysis of socio-economic behavioural transformations under martial law. This analysis could inform effective state policy and the development of strategic guidelines for post-war economic recovery.

Purpose. The study aims to analyse the transformation of the socio-economic behaviour of the Ukrainian population in wartime and assess these changes through the lens of social resilience.

Results. The dynamics of key macroeconomic indicators are analysed, with a focus on the unemployment rate, changes in household consumer strategies, entrepreneurial activity and the financial behaviour of the population, from Q4 2022 to Q1 2026. It is evident that Ukrainian society’s social resilience is multidimensional. Despite the initial shock of rising unemployment to over 30%, Ukrainian society has demonstrated high adaptability. The primary manifestations of social resilience identified are the rapid restructuring of the labour market; stable growth in the number of active individual entrepreneurs (FOPs) as a means of self-employment; the restoration of trust in the banking system; and the formation of frugal consumption models. However, it is also substantiated that such adaptability carries a significant ‘social price’, evidenced by a decline in welfare due to changes in household spending structures, optimisation of consumption and prioritisation of basic needs, forced savings on essential requirements and long-term risks to the reproduction of human capital. Changes in financial behaviour were also identified, including the accumulation of savings and a cautious approach to lending.

Conclusions. The results confirm society’s transition from a survival phase to a phase of gradual recovery, characterised by renewed demand for credit and growth in deposit assets. These results can be used by state authorities to develop population support policies and economic recovery strategies, by scholars to inform further research into social resilience, and by international organisations to evaluate the effectiveness of assistance programmes.

Keywords: social resilience; human capital; economic behavior; welfare level; post-war recovery; sustainable development.

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