Skip to main content

Ukraine: Protection Cluster Factsheet - August 2019 [EN/RU/UK]

Countries
Ukraine
Sources
Protection Cluster
+ 1 more
Publication date

PROTECTION CONCERNS

  • Civilian casualties: The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine recorded four conflict-related casualties (two persons were injured by shelling and two persons were killed as a result of a mine/ERW incident). On 3 August, a man was wounded by firearms as a result of a conflict with soldiers in Avdiivka.

  • Security: After the ceasefire announced on 21 July 2019 and decrease of security incidents that immediately followed, the number of security incidents gradually increased. During 29 July – 11 August, OSCE SMM recorded 2,700 ceasefire violations, while between 12 – 25 August, this number reached 5,400.

  • Freedom of movement: On 7 August, an 83 year old man died at Maiorske EECP while going to GCA to visit an Oshchadbank.
    On 28 August, Maiorske EECP was closed for an hour due to a red alert. During this time people traveling from NGCA were not allowed to cross the checkpoint so that they could take cover in case of shelling.
    The entry and exit to Lopaskyne and Lobacheve settlements (Luhansk, GCA) were blocked following rotation of military personnel. As a result, ambulances, police, employees of the Pension Fund and humanitarian organizations were not allowed to access the settlements. Local residents were restricted in their movement in and out of the villages.

  • Access to basic services: On 30 August, NGCA authorities in Donetsk announced an increase in utility bills for local residents by 30% for housing and waste disposal costs, 57% for cold water supply and 57% for sewera ge.

  • Access to pensions: More than 100 older people from Starohnativka, Hranitne and Chermalyk (Donetsk GCA) who reached retirement age, cannot receive their pension payments, as they cannot confirm their employment history in NGCA. This number is set to increase as more and more displaced people from NGCA reach pensionable age.

  • Access to documentation: The Department of State migration service in Stanytsya-Luhanska and Novoaydar (Luhansk GCA) requires IDPs for apply for personal documentation to provide additional documents, which are not required by legislation.

  • New cases of displacement: According to Protection Cluster partner monitoring, the number of IDPs in Valentynivka (Donetsk GCA) has increased in 2019, from 16 in January to 27 in August as people have moved from NGCA to the settlement where they own summer houses.

  • IDP eviction: There is a threat of eviction of around 40 IDPs from a collective center in Rzhishchiv (Kyiv region) due to unpaid debts for communal services. The administration has threatened to cut off the electricity and water supplies and subsequently to evict IDPs.