The overview of the current social and humanitarian situation in the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of hostilities between 1 and 8 May 2020

News Overview of the social and humanitarian situation

This week in the Republic was marked by several significant occasions.

A big threat in the DPR is still the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. At the moment 147 registered and confirmed cases of COVID-19 were fixed in the Republic. 125 patients are in treatment, 18 are discharged from hospitals, and 4 cases are fatal.

In this regard, the operational interaction between ministries and agencies was established by the government of the Republic. The complex workouts for forces of civil protection in the framework of the unified governmental system of the prevention and elimination of emergencies were held in the DPR to this end. The skills in reacting in different sanitary and epidemiological situations, practical aspects of the operational work of staff members of the appropriate ministries and agencies of the Republic, and also events of the inter-republic interaction were worked off during the workouts.

However, inhabitants of Donbas are upset not only because of the pandemic. On 2 May the whole world honored the member of the dead men and women, who were burned in the House of Trade Union in Odessa 6 years ago. 46 persons died, dozens were seriously injured. Nevertheless, in spite of the resonance, anybody hasn’t been punished for the hideous crime. Thus, the Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine noticed, this situation indicates that the Ukrainian authorities are uninterested in seeking and punishing all perpetrators, and actions of the Ukrainian law enforcement officials point to the biased investigation.

Donbas well knows what the pain of loss and unscrupulous actions of the Ukrainian neo-Nazis actions are. On 4 and 7 May armed forces of Ukraine launched mass shelling of the areas of residence of civilians in breach of all requirements of the international humanitarian law on the prohibition on directing attacks against civilian objects. As a result of the actions by the AFU, 3 men, 1 woman and 5 children sustained injuries of varying severities. The DPR Ombudsman sent statements on these facts to international organizations. Such steps distance us more and more from the resolving of conflict and long-awaited peace, which Donbas has had since the end of the Great Patriotic War, 75th anniversary of which is celebrated on 9 May. The government of the Republic, in this regard, prepares the mass holiday concert named “At six o’clock in the evening after the war”, which is dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Victory Day. Citizens and visitors of the DPR may watch performances of the best creative collectives. Unfortunately, in the connection with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the concert may be watched only on the air of the TV-channel “Oplot”.

It should be reminded, that the DPR Ombudsman’s Office continues work in normal mode with the exception of a public reception. Citizens can send complaints at the address: Pushkin Boulevard, 34, 5th floor, office 540.

Donetsk, the DPR, 83105; or in an e-mail to: [email protected]

“Hot line” telephones also work:

+38 071-301-73-52 – on general issues;

+38 071-404-69-29 – on issues of missing people as a result of the armed conflict.

The Ombudsman continues attentively explore and monitor current situation in the Republic, also calls citizens for being careful and follow the essential sanitary-epidemiological norms.

 

Since the beginning of 2020, the Ombudsman received 1818 complaints.

All received complaints can be divided into nine categories: personal rights – 604 complaints, economic rights – 69 complaints, social rights – 240 complaints; guarantees of human rights in civil, administrative and criminal proceedings – 197 complaints; enforcement of human rights in penitentiary institutions – 49 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of education – 3 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of healthcare – 46 complaints; enforcement of rights of mothers, children and families – 17 complaints, issues connected with the political and military situation in DPR – 593 complaints.

 

  1. Death toll, injuries to civilians and soldiers as a result of hostilities in the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic

The DPR Ombudsman’s Office documents cases of violations of Donbas citizens’ rights by the Ukrainian side, including the right to life, personal integrity and freedom of movement.

Within the period between 1 and 8 May, as a result of armed actions, 5 DPR servicemen sustained injuries of varying severities, 2 of them died.

On 1 May, a civilian woman, born in 1955, sustained a bullet wound and consequently die in a hospital, as a result of shelling of the village Spartak.

On 4 May, 3 under-age girls with injuries of varying severities were delivered to the Republican Trauma Centre. A man, born in 1965, also sustained injuries with them. All victims were under fire by armed groups of Ukraine, which attacked residential areas of the settlement Aleksandrovka with 30 shots from APCs-2.

On 7 May, the settlement Sakhanka came under fire. As a result of the shelling, 5 civilians sustained injuries varying severities, including 2 teenagers. 1 DPR serviceman died, one serviceman was injured during the victim assistance.

Within the period between 1 and 8 May 2020 in the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic 3 DPR servicemen, 9 civilians and 5 children sustained injuries of varying severities, as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine

Within the period between 1 January and 8 May 2020, 57 people, including 33 DPR servicemen and 24 civilians (including 6 children and 6 women) sustained injuries and traumas of varying severities as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine.

Within the period between 1 and 8 May 2020, in the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic 2 DPR servicemen and 1 civilian woman (born in 1953) died.

Within the period between 1 January and 8 May 2020, 18 DPR servicemen and 4 civilians died as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine.

To be specific, since the beginning of the armed conflict 4,917 people died, including 81 children.

Officially confirmed information on individuals, who have been wounded since the beginning of the conflict continues to be reported to the Ombudsman’s Office in the DPR.

 

  1. Register of the prisoners of war, missing soldiers andcivilians

During the reporting period the DPR Ombudsman’s Office received no statements of detention.

Based on the updated figures as of 8th May 2020, there are 126 people detained by the Ukrainian side.

Information about 115 persons is either absent, or clarified by the Ukrainian side.

11 persons are detained by the Ukrainian side.

On 8 May 2020 468 people are considered missing. They could have been taken prisoner in Ukraine.

 

  1. Register of displaced persons and affected citizens

At the time of armed conflict, the civilian population living in the zone of fighting and near the contact line is often affected. With the view to protect the human right to life and security of the person, and to provide assistance to victims as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine, social housing objects (dormitories, preventative clinics, health care centers).

With the coming into force of the Order of the Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic No. 137 of 24.04.2018, Territorial commissions in cities and districts are now responsible for accommodating affected civilians. They work under supervision of the Republican Commission on Resettlement of Affected Persons chaired by the DPR Human Rights Ombudsman.

There are currently 958 accommodation places in the Donetsk People’s Republic available for citizens of this category. 64 social housing objects have been opened in the territory of DPR. 54 of them operate, 10 of them are held in reserve. Since the beginning of the conflict, 7076 people, including 1632 children have been registered as persons affected as a result of the conflict. Currently, 2152 people live in social housing objects of the Donetsk People’s Republic, including 393 underage children, 4924 people live in the housing fund, including 1239 children.