This week, there is still an increase in tension along the Contact line near the borders of the Republic, in connection with regular shelling from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thus, the JCCC observers recorded more than 12 facts of violation of the regime of an open-ended ceasefire by the AFU. In particular, shelling from weapons prohibited by the agreements was used in the territories of such settlements as: Gorlovka, Aleksandrovka, Mineralnoe, Zhabunki and Peski. It was a miracle that there were no civilian casualties.
Unfortunately, it seems that the escalation of the conflict in Donbass is a deliberate policy of the Ukrainian authorities. This thesis is confirmed by both the militant rhetoric of the top officials of the state and the decision of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to adopt the official document that recognizes the conflict in Donbass as a “Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict.” Now the armed confrontation, according to the text of the document, is a consequence of the “armed aggression of the Russian Federation”, thereby actually denying the war of the AFU with citizens. Thus, Kiev directly violates the Minsk agreements, and moreover, it extremely complicates their further implementation in the context of a dialogue with the Republics.
Another important event last week was the statement by the DPR Head Denis Pushilin that the number of the DPR residents who received Russian citizenship in a simplified manner is about 250 thousand. This achievement became possible thanks to the integration policy of rapprochement with the Russian Federation, as well as the Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin “On defining, for humanitarian purposes, the category of persons entitled to apply for Russian citizenship in a simplified manner”.
Obtaining a passport of the Russian Federation opens up great opportunities for residents of the Republic to realize their abilities, both in Russia and abroad. Taking into account the number of outstanding talents living in the DPR, this will be a big step towards recognizing the merits of our young state in such areas as science, sport and art.
In the context of the above, it should be noted that dancers from the DPR won the grand prix in Moscow at the international competition of choreographic art “Tantsemania” last week. The organizer was the UNESCO International Dance Council. In turn, the event was held at the State Central Concert Hall. Winning the Grand Prix of the competition gave the residents of the Republic the right to compete in similar competitions in France.
Another important achievement of our athletes was the winning of 13 medals at the open cup of Oryol oblast in freestyle wrestling, in memory of the honorary citizen of the city of Oryol, Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal V.H. Kulikov. The competition brought together about 400 wrestlers from Belgorod, Kaluga, Tula, Bryansk, Voronezh, Oryol, Lipetsk, Smolensk regions, as well as Moscow and the DPR.
It should also be noted that, unfortunately, the situation related to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in the world has worsened again. Despite the beginning of the supply of Sputnik V vaccine to the territory of the Republic, the level of epidemiological danger is still high. Thus, from the beginning of the pandemic to the present day, 29,228 registered and confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection have been recorded in the DPR. 5835 patients are being treated, 2249 cases are lethal.
In this regard, the Ombudsman calls on citizens to be vigilant and comply with the necessary sanitary and epidemiological standards, in view of the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, and also to sign up for vaccination on the website of the Ministry of Health.
Since the beginning of 2021, the Ombudsman received 882 complaints.
All received complaints can be divided into nine categories: personal rights – 283 complaints, economic rights – 59 complaints, social rights – 185 complaints; guarantees of human rights in civil, administrative and criminal proceedings – 112 complaints; enforcement of human rights in penitentiary institutions – 29 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of education – 5 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of healthcare – 31 complaints; enforcement of rights of mothers, children and families – 6 complaints, issues connected with the political and military situation in DPR – 172 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.
Within the period between 27 March and 02 April 2021, according to the official sources, two servicemen of the Republic sustained injuries.
Within the period between 1 January and 02 April 2021, in the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic, 11 people sustained injuries and traumas of varying severities as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine: 8 servicemen of the Republic and 3 civilians.
Within the period between 27 March and 02 April 2021, in the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic, no one died.
Within the period between 1 January and 02 April 2021, in the territory of the DPR, 19 servicemen of the Republic and one civilian 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, 4981 people, 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 DPR Ombudsman’s Office.
- Register of the prisoners of war, missing soldiers and civilians
As of April 2, 2021, the Ukrainian side detains about 90 people.
As of April 2, 2021, 365 people are on the list of missing persons.
- 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 centres).
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 852 accommodation places in the Donetsk People’s Republic available for citizens of this category. 61 social housing objects have been opened in the territory of DPR. 53 of them operate, 8 of them are held in reserve. Since the beginning of the conflict, 6701 people, including 1449 children have been registered as persons affected as a result of the conflict. Currently, 1933 people live in social housing objects of the Donetsk People’s Republic, including 336 underage children, 4768 people live in the housing fund, including 1113 children.
