The current week in the Republic was marked by several significant occasions.
Diplomacy is the key to peace that can only be forged through direct dialogue between conflicting parties. On 3 December, a personal meeting of the Human Rights Ombudsman in the DPR Daria Morozova with the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights Lyudmila Denisova took place. During the meeting, the Ombudsman of the Republic raised the topic of Kiev’s failure to fulfill its obligations on the procedural “cleansing” of 50 citizens displaced to the DPR as a result of the 2019 and 2020 exchanges. It is noteworthy that for the first time this issue was discussed not so much from the standpoint of Ukraine’s non-compliance with the Minsk agreements, but from the standpoint of violation of the rights and freedoms of the above citizens.
However, the main diplomatic breakthrough of the Republics was the first in modern history speech of representatives of the DPR and the LPR in the UN Security Council. During the meeting according to the “Arria-Formula”, the political representative of the DPR at the negotiations of the Contact Group, Natalya Nikonorova, noted that Ukraine has not fulfilled any of the points of the Minsk agreements and the jointly agreed results of the meeting of the leaders of the Normandy Four yet. In addition, the representative of the Republic called on the UN Security Council to influence the Ukrainian authorities to hasten the possible implementation of the package of measures of the Minsk agreements.
Moreover, apparently, Ukraine does not plan to consider the peaceful outcome of the conflict. The buildup of military equipment, as well as regular shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, only confirms these fears. Thus, over the past week, representatives of the JCCC recorded 5 cases of shelling by the AFU. Also, the placement of equipment outside the designated storage areas and in the security zone is regularly observed.
However, despite all the difficulties caused by the armed conflict and the economic blockade, a significant improvement in the epidemiological situation associated with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic was recorded in the Republic. Thus, from the beginning of the pandemic to the present day, there are 11,309 registered and confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in the DPR. 4954 patients are in treatment, 1067 cases are fatal.
In order to further improve the epidemiological situation, the DPR Ministry of Health made a decision on free testing for the presence of the COVID-19 coronavirus for residents of the Republic who are on outpatient treatment with pneumonia. Also, in cases where the presence of a coronavirus infection is suspected, citizens will be able to donate blood for ELISA diagnostics at home free of charge. The analysis for the specified category of the population will be carried out free of charge not earlier than a week after the emergence of the clinical symptoms of the disease.
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 4920 complaints.
All received complaints can be divided into nine categories: personal rights – 2105 complaints, economic rights – 204 complaints, social rights – 750 complaints; guarantees of human rights in civil, administrative and criminal proceedings – 462 complaints; enforcement of human rights in penitentiary institutions – 137 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of education – 17 complaints; enforcement of rights in the field of healthcare – 140 complaints; enforcement of rights of mothers, children and families – 46 complaints, issues connected with the political and military situation in DPR – 1059 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 28 November and 4 December 2020, in the territory of the Republic, no injured and dead people among the civilian population were fixed.
Within the period between 1 January and 4 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 28 November and 3 December 2020, in the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic, there were no deaths.
Within the period between 1 January and 3 December 2020, in the territory of the DPR, 45 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, 4959 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.
- Register of the prisoners of war, missing soldiers and civilians
Based on the updated figures as of 4th December 2020, there are about 103 people detained by the Ukrainian side:
There are 362 people 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 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 833 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, 6796 people, including 1504 children have been registered as persons affected as a result of the conflict. Currently, 2032 people live in social housing objects of the Donetsk People’s Republic, including 362 underage children, 4764 people live in the housing fund, including 1142 children.
