Donetsk oblast allocates $1820 to those who returned to the region after release from militants' captivity

$1820 will be allocated from the budget of the Donetsk oblast to each of the residents who returned to the region, released from the captivity of militants at the end of 2017. Deputy Chairman of the Donetsk Regional State Administration Igor Stokoz told this OstroV.

"This welfare assistance will be allocated to those who returned to the region (referring to those released from captivity - ed.)", - he said.

At the moment, a little more than 10 former hostages-residents of the region returned to Donetsk (there are 24 of them).

Stokoz noted that the Center for Social Services takes care of everyone released and "they are being cared 24 hours a day". A special map of needs is filled in, submitted for approval and a decision is made on how to help the former hostages. Prior to the decision to allocate funds from the regional budget, the aid was provided at the expense of local budgets.

"On January 28, I signed letters to all cities and districts – the district state administrations, the heads of local self-government – in order to provide financial assistance as far as possible until compensation is transferred", - Stokoz told.

The deputy governor stated that assistance to the released people requires a different plan – in search of housing, work, in recovery and so on.

So, on January 27, after rehabilitation in Kyiv, Olha Politova, a resident of Ocheretyne village, returned to Donetsk. Prior to the captivity, she was a deputy chief doctor of the Yasynuvata district for work with the population. "She is already here, she was taken to her previous job. We help her now to go to the court to claim that part of the salary she was not paid while she was in the captivity. She was dismissed, as she was not at the workplace, now she is being reinstated. She was given a separate room for now. There are repairs in the apartment where she will live. Now she has started working", - the deputy head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration said.

According to Stokoz, the woman was provided with financial assistance, but it was difficult to name the exact amount.

On Tuesday, February 6, another released hostage was to return to the region – Alexander Aysin. Prior to the captivity, he worked as a driver in the Department of Health Protection of the Regional State Administration. "At the moment, there is a decision that upon his arrival here, he will be again arranged for the previous place of work and the Health Protection Department will decide the issue of accommodation and housing", - Stokoz said.

At the same time, some of those who returned from the captivity refuse such social support. For example, Oleh Chulha from Sloviansk said that everything was fine, and asked not to disturb his family by phone calls.

Not all of the released are ready to return to the Donetsk oblast. "Brothers Kononenko. One brother remained in Kyiv, and the second – Yevheniy Kononenko – returned. But he says that he will not stay here, he wants to find an apartment in Kyiv, Lviv or Odessa. He will have to apply to the social protection agencies at the place of actual stay, when he will come there", - Igor Stokoz told.

"We are told that "Look, you have not yet created a system of escort of (the released – ed.) prisoners of war". And I always reply that it feels like we have a hundred years war going on and we cannot create a system in a hundred years. This is the first experience, the next will be much more operational", - the deputy governor is convinced.

As previously reported, 73 Ukrainians were released from the militants' captivity at the end of December 2017.

At the end of January 2018, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine supported the decision to pay $3640 one-time assistance to the released from the captivity of militants Ukrainian hostages.