Ukrainians will be able to obtain documents from Russia to apply for pensions
21 July 01:34
Ukraine Has Launched a Mechanism for Obtaining Documents from Russia for Social Benefits
Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada’s Human Rights Commissioner, commented on the launch of a mechanism for exchanging certain legally significant documents, which was agreed upon with the Russian Human Rights Commissioner. According to him, information circulating on social media about Ukraine’s alleged recognition of documents issued in the temporarily occupied territories is untrue, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
The Ombudsman emphasized that the established communication channel is intended solely for humanitarian purposes. It will be used to obtain specific documents of a social and legal nature that Ukrainian citizens need to exercise their legitimate rights.
The mechanism is intended to assist with the processing of social benefits
As Lubinets explained, the new tool is designed to address practical problems faced by Ukrainians due to their inability to obtain documents from Russian territory. As an example, he cited the situation of a woman who had worked in Russia during the Soviet era.
After the full-scale invasion began, she was unable to verify the 15 years of work experience required to qualify for a pension. Due to the lack of relevant documents, the Pension Fund denied her pension benefits, despite her having legal grounds for them. Currently, the woman receives only state social assistance, which amounts to slightly more than two thousand hryvnias.
According to the ombudsman, once she receives official confirmation of her work history, she will be able to reapply to the Pension Fund and receive the Ukrainian pension to which she is entitled.
Lubinec noted that the mechanism is just beginning to function. The Ukrainian side has already sent the first three requests to the Russian side and has received several responses. Going forward, he said, the effectiveness of the new channel of communication will be evaluated, particularly the speed at which requests are processed and the ability to effectively restore the violated rights of Ukrainian citizens.
At the same time, the ombudsman reiterated that the exchange of documents does not entail any legal consequences regarding the recognition of documents issued by the occupying authorities in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.
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As a reminder, on June 27, the Ukrainian side provided Russia with lists of persons considered missing in action to initiate the process of verifying their identities. On the same day, Ukraine and Russia exchanged legal documents of a humanitarian nature for the first time since the severance of diplomatic relations. These include, in particular, documents required to confirm employment history, as well as other certificates that citizens of both countries may need to exercise their social rights.
On the day the mechanism was launched, seven civilians who had been illegally held captive by Russia for an extended period also returned to Ukraine. These individuals were abducted during the occupation of Mariupol, as well as in the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk regions.
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