The overview of the current social and humanitarian situation in the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of hostilities between 19 and 25 December 2020

News Overview of the social and humanitarian situation

The current week in the Republic was marked by several significant occasions.

On 25 December residents and guests of the Republic will see the grand opening of the central Christmas tree. The event will take place on the main square of the capital of the DPR, where everyone can come. The opening will be accompanied by performances by the city’s creative teams. In addition, festivities will be organized on Lenin Square. Also, on the eve of the holidays, work continues in the humanitarian sphere. Children’s matinees and gifts are regularly held. Thus, the Big New Year Party of the Head of the DPR D.V. Pushilin was held in the Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after A.B. Solovyanenko on 23 December. During the festive event, the organizers prepared a musical and dance performance for young citizens. Before the opening, animators in costumes of fairy-tale characters played with the children, and at the end of the performance, a large photo session took place with the main characters of the holiday – Ded Moroz and Snegurochka.

Another highlight in preparation for the celebrations was the planned cancellation of the curfew from 31 December to 10 January. This initiative is a positive signal indicating a decline in tension in the region and a gradual return of the inhabitants of the Republic to a full life.

However, even on holidays, citizens are required to strictly comply with sanitary and epidemiological safety standards in connection with the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Despite a significant decline in morbidity, the situation in the Republic still requires responsibility and caution from citizens. Thus, from the beginning of the pandemic to the present day, 13,703 registered and confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection have been recorded in the DPR. 4444 patients are being treated, 1241 cases are fatal.

Also, the situation on the contact line remains unsettled due to the growing intensity of shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, regularly recorded by the JCCC. Thus, over the past week, the AFU opened fire more than 6 times, despite the existing agreement on an open-ended ceasefire. This situation is alarming, as shelling is increasing every day and can provoke a full-scale armed conflict between the parties, as well as entail civilian casualties.

However, despite the difficulties caused by the armed conflict and the economic blockade by Ukraine, the Republic continues to develop. Thus, the Head of the DPR announced a new increase in wages and pensions. According to him, the increase will be made in two stages – from 1 January 2020 and from July 2021. At each stage, the increase in pensions will be 17%.

The Ombudsman continues to attentively explore and monitor the humanitarian situation in the Republic, also call citizens for being careful and follow the essential sanitary-epidemiological norms, in view of the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

 

Since the beginning of 2020, the Ombudsman received 5100 complaints.

All received complaints can be divided into nine categories: personal rights – 2143 complaints, economic rights – 227 complaints, social rights – 799 complaints; guarantees of human rights in civil, administrative and criminal proceedings – 473 complaints; enforcement of human rights in penitentiary institutions – 153 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of education – 17 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of healthcare – 149 complaints; enforcement of rights of mothers, children and families – 48 complaints, issues connected with the political and military situation in DPR – 1091 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 19 and 25 December 2020, in the territory of the Republic, no injured and dead people were fixed.

Within the period between 1 January and 25 December 2020, in the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic, 105 persons sustained injuries and traumas of varying severities as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine: 70 servicemen of the Republic and 35 civilians (including 6 children and 11 women).

Within the period between 19 and 25 December 2020, in the territory of the Republic, no injured and dead people were fixed.

Within the period between 1 January and 25 December 2020, in the territory of the DPR, 47 servicemen of the Republic and 5 civilians died as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine.

It should be noted that since the armed conflict began in the Donetsk People’s Republic, 4961 persons, including 90 children died.

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.

 

  1. Register of the prisoners of war, missing soldiers and civilians

Based on the updated figures as of 25th December 2020, there are about 102 people detained by the Ukrainian side:

There are 362 (362+1) people on the list of missing persons.

– 1 man, born in 1968, went missing 04.06.2014, circumstances of the disappearance are unknown.

 

  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 the supervision of the Republican Commission on Resettlement of Affected Persons chaired by the DPR Human Rights Ombudsman.

There are currently 837 accommodation places in the Donetsk People’s Republic available for citizens of this category. 63 social housing objects have been opened in the territory of DPR. 55 of them operate, 8 of them are held in reserve. Since the beginning of the conflict, 6765 people, including 1493 children have been registered as persons affected as a result of the conflict. Currently, 2010 people live in social housing objects of the Donetsk People’s Republic, including 353 underage children, 4755 people live in the housing fund, including 1140 children.