The week was marked by several significant occasions.
On 15 July citizens of the Republic honored memories of inhabitants, who were dead owing to the air strike on Snezhnoye by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At that time, 6 years ago, stormtrooper Su-25 AFU stroke a blow against the city centre. 12 civilian casualties were dead as a result of the air strike. This heinous crime has became one of catalysts, which reinforce among inhabitants of Donbas in belief, that there is the necessity of establishing own independent state, where a human life is the value, but isn’t an object of political bargaining.
It is should not be forgotten that armed conflict in Donbas began largely because of “the playing” of Ukrainian government with the ideas of superiority one group of Ukrainian people above another one. Unfortunately, since that moment the practice hasn’t changed. Last time ultra right organizations increased aggression against so-called “Russian-oriented” forces, where beating and attempted murder have became a usual part of Ukrainian people’s lives. This was made possible by unpunished actions and government’s protection those, who with own ideas splat the country. Many European politicians speak out, particularly, the member of the European Parliament from Ireland Clare Daily responded:
“EU governments promote development of radical nationalism in Ukraine for implementing own geopolitical agenda, and now neo-Nazis with governmental relations is beating opponents and threatening civil society. Nazism in every country is a danger for everyone. Europe should stop supporting it in Ukraine and elsewhere.”
By contrast, the damage of Ukrainian governmental supporting right-wing extremists was judged by British government.
“European democratic countries were to start fighting a long time ago with the increasing of far-right movements on the east of the continent, the good example of what is shameful policy of Ukrainian government” was mentioned by the member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom from Labour Party Baron Jeremy Hugh Beecham.
The problem is that Ukrainian volunteer battalions, including those which are fighting in Donbas, have become as a shelter for far-right people from Europe and North America. Many foreign mercenaries practise Nazism and have had the war experience, now can endanger European community upon returning home.
One of these assassins is a deceased saboteur on 14 July in the outskirts of Gorlovka, whose body was transferred to the territory controlled by Kiev. The deceased was a citizen of the USA that actively interacted with Ukrainian Nazis, particularly his dress have elements of Nazi symbols.
Cooperation between Ukrainian government and neo-Nazi groups most likely is going to be one of the most discussing topics for European countries whenever work of the sessions of the European Parliament resumes. United Nations Security Council, in turn, has already fully renewed work. For the first time since last four months of restriction related to the pandemic COVID-19, it is planned to hold a “live” meeting of 15 Security Council member states.
Pandemic COVID-19 all over the world leaded to the hard humanitarian consequences. Especially it is connected to the food industry. In the UN annual report “The state of food security and nutrition in the world” specialists noted explosive growth the number of people suffering from hunger, by 10 million. Since the beginning of pandemic the number of hungry people has increased of 1%, almost every tenth inhabitant of the planet is starving. This frightening statistic one more time highlights the importance of union all the world for fighting with the consequences of COVID-19.
The Donetsk People’s Republic, in turn, successfully contains the situation with spreading of COVID-19 at an acceptable level. From the beginning of pandemic to the present days overall 1114 registered and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Republic. 682 patients are in treatment, 87 cases are fatal.
The Ombudsman continues attentively explore and monitor current situation in the Republic, also call citizens for being careful and follow the essential sanitary-epidemiological norms.
Since the beginning of 2020, the Ombudsman received 3,189 complaints.
All received complaints can be divided into nine categories: personal rights – 1493 complaints, economic rights – 105 complaints, social rights – 408 complaints; guarantees of human rights in civil, administrative and criminal proceedings – 270 complaints; enforcement of human rights in penitentiary institutions – 79 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of education – 6 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of healthcare – 84 complaints; enforcement of rights of mothers, children and families – 24 complaints, issues connected with the political and military situation in DPR – 774 complaints.
- 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.
On 14 July 2020 as a result of AFU shelling of the population centre Alexandrovka 2 civilians sustained injures:
- a civilian woman born in 1979;
- an young man born 2001.
On 16 July 2020 as a result of AFU shelling of the village of mine “Trudovskaya”:
- a woman born in 1961;
- a man born in 1987 sustained injures.
Within the period between 11 and 17 July 2020, as a result of armed actions by Ukraine 3 DPR servicemen sustained injuries and traumas of varying severities in the territory of the DPR.
Within the period between 1 January and 17 July 2020, 76 people, including 45 DPR servicemen and 31 civilians (including 6 child and 11 women) sustained injuries and traumas of varying severities as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine.
Within the period between 11 and 17 July 2020, no deaths were documented in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
Within the period between 1 January and 17 July 2020, 27 DPR servicemen and 5 civilians died as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine.
To be specific, since the beginning of the armed conflict 4,932 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 DPR.
- Register of the prisoners of war, missing soldiers andcivilians
Based on the updated figures as of 17th July 2020, there are 103 people detained by the Ukrainian side. 408 people are considered missing.
- 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 920 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. 55 of them operate, 9 of them are held in reserve. Since the beginning of the conflict, 7,012 people, including 1,606 children have been registered as persons affected as a result of the conflict. Currently, 2,102 people live in social housing objects of the Donetsk People’s Republic, including 379 underage children, 4,910 people live in the housing fund, including 1,227 children.
