The overview of the current social and humanitarian situation, within the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic as a result of hostilities between 22 and 28 July 2017

 

 

July 28 is celebrated in honor of one of the main milestones in the history of Russia – the proclamation of Christianity as a state religion. The baptism of Rus’ or the adoption by Rus’ of the Greek Orthodox Christianity took place during the reign of Vladimir the Great in Kievan Rus’. Prince Vladimir baptized his sons in a spring known under the name of Khreshchatyk in Kiev. After that many people were baptized in Kiev. Mass baptism took place in debouch of the Pochayna river to the Dnieper. Acceptance of Christianity by Russia was due to several factors, but, first of all, a single faith is an effective instrument for uniting the country. Also, when the people are united with a single confession, the state can move further in its development.

Today this holiday is becoming more and more widespread. On this day, there are mass cultural and charitable, theological and educational activities. The main goal of such activities is to strengthen the notion of the baptism of Rus’ as a special historical date in the life of the Slavic peoples.

Now there is a split in the Orthodox Church in Ukraine into Patriarchate of Kiev and Patriarchate of Moscow, and the latter is oppressed. The lavras and monasteries are objected to attacks by radical groups. There was a constant threat of provocation during the Great Cross Procession, passed through the territory of Ukraine last year.

Yesterday, in Kiev, one of the FEMEN movement activists climbed onto the Vladimir the Great monument as a protest against the pilgrimage of the Moscow Patriarchate. The words “Putin Kills” were written on the chest of the activist. However, it is not the President of the Russian Federation  who kills Donbass residents. They are killed by the arms of Ukrainian forces, targeted against Donbass.

On July 27, the Republic recalled the third anniversary of the death of 23-year-old Christina Zhuk and her 10-month-old baby Kira in Gorlovka. Then Gorlovka was under the fire of the Ukrainian “Grads”. The young mother was buried with the baby in her arms. Inhuman tragedy troubled the world, pictures circled the globe, and Christina was then called “Madonna of Gorlovka”. Yesterday a memorial was opened to the victims – Gorlovka residents – on the third anniversary of the beginning of shelling of the city.

The right to life and security of the person is an inalienable human right. Article 3 of the Constitution of the Donetsk People’s Republic proclaims the person and his/her rights a supreme value. To ensure protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms by the state, to prevent any form of discrimination regarding the exercise of rights and freedoms, the post of the Human Rights Ombudsman was established in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Citizens can apply to the Ombudsman in any suitable way. Now, the majority of applications is still verbal and submitted through personal reception either with the Ombudsman or the heads of the Office, addressing the Public Complaints and Appeals Department, via hotlines and via web-reception on the Website of the Ombudsman. There is a possibility to file a written complaint that may be submitted either in person or via e-mail. Since 2017 the Ombudsman received 3591 appeals. In the period of work between 22 and 28 July 2017, 28 persons have visited the Ombudsman in person, 59 of the claims were accepted by the Appeals department 63 calls were made via hotlines. 24 applications were received via e-mail, 4 written appeals were taken into consideration, 3 – have been reviewed among those received earlier, 35 citizens were provided with legal counseling.

All appeals received can be divided into four categories: violations in criminal law – 212 appeals, violations in civil law– 367 appeals, administrative and legal violations against the DPR citizens – 2 appeals, social and humanitarian issues – 3010 appeals (diagram 1).

 

 

The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens,  submitted to the Office of DPR Ombudsman as of 28.07.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

Among all incoming correspondence to the Ombudsman of DPR, the one which deals with the issues of exercise of social rights of citizens and violations of these rights is the most frequent.  These issues are: pension and social payments – 428 appeals, temporary accommodation – 368 appeals, the order of a complaint submission and paperwork in case of property destruction – 72 appeals, humanitarian assistance – 160 appeals, employment – 140 appeals, paperwork on travelling documents – 9 appeals, search of the missing – 125 appeals, loss of IDs   – 285 appeals, housing issues – 168 appeals, temporary residence permit – 181 appeals, other social and humanitarian issues – 1074 appeals (diagram 2).

 

The number of appeals (complaints, applications) from citizens on social and humanitarian isses, received by the DPR Ombudsman`s Office as of 28.07.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The majority of complains are traditionally received from Donetsk, by territory (Diagram 3).

 

The number of appeals (complains, applications) from citizens, received by the DPR Ombudsman`s Office as of 28.07.2017

 

 

 

 

 

1. Statistics and analysis of destroyed infrastructure objects

Targeted shelling by Ukrainian forces causes destruction of private property and infrastructure – this is the reality of the front-line regions of the Donetsk People’s Republic.

As of 27 July 2017 more than 11390 infrastructure objects were partly destroyed (damaged) as a result of hostilities.

More than 6828 objects have been destroyed in Donetsk, 268 units in Debaltsevo, 527 units in Gorlovka, 91 units in Dokuchayevsk, 309 units in Yenakievo, 91 units in Zhdanovka, 75 units in Kirovskoye, 1113 units in Makeyevka, 55 units in Snyezhnoye, 122 units in Torez, 750 units in Khartsysk, 75 units in Shakhtyorsk, 581 units in Yasinovataya, 278 units in Amvrosyevka region, 3 units in Volnovakha region, 24 units in Maryinka region, 17 units in Novoazovsk region, 57 units in Starobeshevo region, 93 units in Telmanovo region, 33 units in Shakhtyorsk region.

Destroyed objects by branches:

– 6241 houses;

– 769 power lines and points of distribution of electricity;

– 176 heating supply facilities;

– 49 water supply facilities;

– 2669 gas supply facilities;

– 14 wastewater and sewerage facilities;

– 102 healthcare facilities;

– 513 general educational institutions (schools, kindergartens);

– 59 vocational and technical educational institutions;

– 62 higher educational institutions;

– 26 physical and sport education institutions;

– 54 cultural institutions;

– 240 road and transport infrastructure objects;

– 60 industrial objects;

– 89 trade objects;

– 267 objects in other spheres.

 

According to the official data as of 27 July 2017 there are 2823 objects of governmental and communal ownership damaged, 531 – rebuilt and 2292 – are to be rebuilt.

 

2. Estimates of mortality, wounds to civilians and soldiers as a result of hostilities in the territory of the Donetsk People`s Republic.

Almost every day the DPR Ombudsman’s Office records cases of violations of rights of Donbass citizens by Kiev authorities: right to life, to security of the person, to the inviolability of the home.

On 21 July as a result of hostilities near Debaltsevo DPR servicemen born in 1993, 1989 and 1979 sustained shrapnel wounds.

On 21 July as a result of hostilities in Novoazovsk region two DPR servicemen born in 1961, 1983 sustained mine-blast traumas, multiple shrapnel wounds.

On 25 July as a result of shelling in Petrovskiy region of Donetsk a civilian man of 38 years old sustained mine-blast trauma, shrapnel wounds to the back, posterior, thighs and occipital region of head. As a result of shelling a teenager born in 2000 sustained puncture bruise wounds of the left parietal region.

On 26 July as a result of hostilities in Bezymennoye village of Novoazovsk region a DPR serviceman of 33 years old sustained a gunshot fracture of the upper third of a left thigh.

On 27 July as a result of shelling against Krutaya Balka village a DPR serviceman born in 1985 sustained shrapnel wound of the right lung, multiple shrapnel wounds of the body and lower limbs.

It was reported that a DPR serviceman born in 1991 sustained mine-blast trauma as a result of hostilities in Avdeyevka industrial zone on July 12, 2017.

 

Within the period between 21 and 27 July 2017, 9 persons sustained injuries of various severities in the territory of the DPR as a result of constant shelling from Ukraine.  Among them, there were 7 DPR servicemen, 1 civilian man and 1 underage child.

Within the period between 1 January and 27 July 2017 451 persons sustained injuries of various severities in the territory of the DPR. Among them, there were 269 DPR servicemen and 182 civilians, including 10 children under 18.

Within the period between 21 and 27 July 2017, 7 persons died. Among them there were 6 DPR servicemen and 1 unknown civilian man, who died as a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces in Vasylievka village, Yasinovataya region.

Within the period between 1 January and 27 July 2017, 189 persons, including 165 servicemen and 24 civilians died in the Donetsk People’s Republic, including an underage child.

To be specific, since the beginning of the armed conflict   4478 persons died. Among them, there were 605 women and 3873 men, including 75 children under eighteen.

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. The information is being processed at the moment and it will be included into general statistics of the injured individuals.

 

3. Register of the prisoners of war and missing soldiers

and civilians

The arrests of civilian civilians on the territory of Ukraine are common practice, which demonstrates the atrocities committed by representatives of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. Denunciation, an article published on social networks, any disapproval of the actions of Ukrainian authorities, as well as a trip to the territory temporarily controlled by Ukrainian authorities may become the reason for detention. Arrests of pensioners who cross the delimitation line for receiving social payments and pension have become more frequent. Instead of paying the guaranteed social payments earned by people during their working life, who had been contributing some proportion to pension fund, the Ukrainian side prefers to detain such people.

This week the Ombudsman’s Office received four appeals on capture. On 8 June a woman born in 1989 was detained by Ukrainian servicemen on the checkpoint. She was going to visit her parents, who live in the territory temporarily controlled by Ukraine. On 30 June and 13 July two senior people, born in 1957 and 1952 correspondingly, were detained at “Mayorsk” checkpoint, when they were going to the territory controlled by Ukraine. It was also reported on detention of a MIA (Ministry of Internal Affairs) staff on May 2014 in Volnivakha.

This week, no appeals on missing persons were received by the Ombudsman’s Office in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

After the lists have been reviewed, and the data provided by the Ukrainian side has been processed and compared, persons who refused to participate in the exchange and those who have been released were excluded from the exchange list based on the provided Release Certificates and the results of the 1st and the 2nd verifications.

Based on the updated figures as of 28.07.2017, 501 persons are kept by the Ukrainian side including:

– 231 of those whose presence on the territory of Ukraine had been confirmed. As reported to the Ombudsman’s Office, 7 persons were excluded from the list. They received suspended sentences and were released;

– 262 persons whose whereabouts are unknown or are being clarified by the Ukrainian side;

– 8 persons for whom the requests were made to the Ukrainian side for the first time.

As of 28 July 2017, 509 persons are considered missing.

 

4. Register of forcibly displaced persons.

Donbass residents who had to leave their homes mostly get the status of IDPs. This is obligatory if the one wants to receive assistance from the state and adapt in new conditions.

At the same time, the one obtaining IDP status in Ukraine may face a lot of problems and red tape. For example, residents of cities situated on the delimitation line (such as Avdeyevka, Maryinka, Krasnogorovka) face problems when formalizing the IDP status. So, many of them refuse to obtain the status.

First, in order to obtain the IDP status in Ukraine, the one must visit numerous authorities, provide an unthinkable number of documents and certificates. This person must prove that he/she is eligible for the status. One of the necessary documents is a copy of the technical status report to prove that their dwelling is unfit for living. The procedure for issuing such acts has not been agreed yet: the form of such an act has not been established, nor has it been specified which body must issue the act. At the same time, additional obstacles are in the process of issuing the act: for example, the act will not be valid until all debts for utilities are paid. It is worth noting that very few residents of front-line cities can afford unreasonably high utility tariffs in Ukraine.

Second, even after the one has undergone through all the necessary procedures and have got the IDP status, there is no guarantee that this person will be provided with temporary accommodation or will regularly receive social payments. It would not be wrong to say that it is much more difficult for internally displaced persons to defend their right to those payments. First of all, guided by the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine № 365, pension will not be paid unless the place of actual residence has been verified. In addition to this, now all pensioners-IDPs are obliged to register and receive the payments through Oschadbank – this is obligatory. This procedure further delays the process.

In general, registration as IDP in Ukraine causes many difficulties and problems. In the Donetsk People’s Republic, the procedure for receiving assistance and temporary housing has long been established and is functioning.

1260 IDPs now live in temporary accommodation of the Office, including 248 underage children. Since the beginning of the conflict 5178 referrals for temporary accommodation have been issued, 284 of them – in 2017. All the TACs are under the DPR Ombudsman’s inspection. The staffs of the Office monitor the TACs on the weekly basis, with the view to respond promptly to the citizens’ needs. The Ombudsman makes every effort to improve social and living conditions for people who live in the TACs.

During the period of work between 22 and 28 July 2017, 24 persons have applied to the Ombudsman’s Office on the issues related to internally displaced persons, 17 of them were accommodated in the TACs of the Ombudsman`s Office in Donetsk.

There are currently 1366 housing spots available for IDPs. Among them: 1366 – in DPR Temporary Accommodation Centres (including TACs of Ombudsman`s Office); 456 – in TACs of the Ombudsman`s Office.

It is necessary to remind that there are 7825 persons, including 2019 children under the age of eighteen registered since the beginning of the conflict. 68 temporary settlements have been established within the territory of DPR, 57 of them operate today, 11 of them are held in reserve. Currently, 2867 individuals live in the centres, including 565 underage children, 4956 persons live in the housing fund of DPR, including 1454 children under eighteen.

 

5. Employment of DPR citizens

Housing and communal services is one of the main branches of the national economy of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the main purpose of which is to satisfy the needs of the population and enterprises in services that provide normal conditions for life and work.

The emergence of housing and communal services is associated with the emergence of cities. The growth of densely populated areas not only required new housing, but also its maintenance. The number and types of services that are necessary for the population and for the improvement of cities has increased over time. Therefore, it is impossible to overestimate the importance, professionalism and responsibility of people who work in the sphere of housing and communal services. Staff of this industry tirelessly work to ensure that our homes are always supplied with water, gas, heat and light.

Today it is impossible to imagine a city without housing and communal services. Even in the conditions of incessant fighting, vital objects are repaired immediately in the Republic. If the city remains without any housing services for a long period, this will inevitably lead to an ecological catastrophe.

On July 21, 2017, the Yasinovataya city Employment Centre held a mini-job fair to assist in recruiting employees on vacant positions to Complex of Yasinovataya communal enterprises and Yasinovataya Department of Gas Supply and Installation of Gas Service of Donbassgas state concern.

During the job fair, the employers told about the activities of the enterprises, the conditions of work and remuneration, requirements for candidates, and had interviews with the candidates.

As a result of the meeting, 2 persons were invited for permanent jobs on the enterprises.

The Republic Employment Center is the main state organ responsible for providing jobs to citizens. According to their data, 21,9 thousands of vacancies were available in the common database as of 28.07.2017. As of 28 July 2017, there were 33,4 thousand individuals who seek for job, registered in the Republic Employment Centers. Among them: 27,8 thousand have been employed (13,0 of them – on permanent positions, 14,8 – temporarily).

Donetsk Centre of Vocational Education of The Republic Employment Centre organizes regular free public workshops to train practical skills, such as work with personal computers; technique and mechanization of trade accounts (work with cash register machines); the program “1C: Accounting 8.2.”; fundamentals of entrepreneurship; processing and decoration of textile and clothing products etc. Since the beginning of 2017, 260 persons participated in those workshops.