HUMAN CAPITAL – UKRAINE'S MAIN ASSET: CHALLENGES AND MECHANISMS FOR RECOVERY AFTER THE WAR

The main factor ensuring the development of a country's economy is human capital. The greatest wealth of any country is its people, who represent the state's primary asset. Undoubtedly, Ukraine stands out among other countries for its highly educated and intellectual human capital. Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine has led to significant losses of human capital: forced migration results in the loss of actual human resources. From the perspective of human capital quality, Ukraine suffers serious losses because Ukrainians who have left the country, fleeing Russian aggression, are often already highly skilled professionals with acquired knowledge and skills that allow them to find employment in other countries and survive in the modern world. This article is dedicated to analyzing the role of human capital as Ukraine's main asset under martial law, particularly in the context of its impact on maintaining socio-economic stability, ensuring the country's recovery, and building future development. The authors emphasize the exceptional importance of human resources in overcoming contemporary challenges caused by armed aggression, migration processes, demographic changes, and infrastructure destruction. The article examines the key aspects of the transformation of labor potential under the influence of military actions. It analyzes the increasing role of education, professional adaptability, innovative thinking, and national unity as fundamental factors determining the resilience and competitiveness of Ukrainian society. Particular attention is given to mechanisms for supporting employment, improving workers' qualifications, engaging the diaspora in economic recovery, and implementing projects aimed at integrating veterans into the labor market. The authors also highlight the role of the state, business, and the public sector in creating conditions for the effective utilization of human capital. Emphasis is placed on the importance of developing a long-term recovery strategy for Ukraine, focusing on the advancement of education, science, healthcare, and innovative technologies. As a result of the study, specific recommendations are proposed for creating new tools to support human potential, particularly in the context of digitalization, fostering public initiatives, and implementing psychological rehabilitation programs. The article's conclusions demonstrate that human capital, despite the crisis circumstances, remains the primary driver of development and an integral element of Ukraine's recovery strategy.