FreeСХІД.ua#15 Donetsk salaries, “cultural mining” at Rubizhne and ATO museum near Kostiantynivka

#FreeZONE

Years of occupation aggravated mental gap between residents of separate territories of Donetsk/Luhansk regions and the rest of Ukraine, but the situation at the freed territories seems to be improving. These are conclusions drawn by authors of sociological study “National identity and awareness peculiarities of residents of occupied territories of Donetsk region and residents of territories controlled by Ukraine ”. The Ukrainian local office of international research agency IFAK Institut conducted the study on request of the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine.

Let’s take a look at the numbers:

- In December 2017 42% of respondents at Donetsk region territories controlled by Ukraine claimed to consider themselves Ukrainians. In 2016 the corresponding share was 32%;

- 41%  of respondents at occupied territories claimed their value set and way of thinking to be similar to that of Russians, and 34% consider to be different from both Russians and the rest of Ukraine;

- 52% of respondents at controlled territories of Donetsk region consider armed confrontation at the East of Ukraine to be a standoff between political elites of Russia and Ukraine. This point of view is shared by 40% of respondents at the occupied territories;

- More than one third of respondents at controlled territories – 37% - do not want Ukraine to be part of any political alliance, 24% support joining the EU, and 29% favor economic and political alliance with the Russian Federation.

Why collecting this type of data is important? And why are this particular study results might be inaccurate?

The authors note that they conducted series of face-to face interviews. They do not provide any detail, though, regarding methodology used for interviewing residents of territories controlled by Russia-supported “DNR” militant group. It is unclear whether the respondents were aware that they were being interviewed for a study, whether the sample was representative, or if answers collected in occupied city were, in fact, sincere.

#FreeDONETSK

In our last issue we discussed part time jobs for younger people available at Luhansk. This time we studied specialized job-openings press, published at uncontrolled territories, and made a list of open positions and corresponding wages.

Public territory maintenance personnel position at Voroshylovsky district of Donetsk offers RUB3000 to 4500 (EUR40-60 per month).

Makyivka warehouse cargo loader’s monthly pay starts at RUB7000 (EUR93). Grocery stock boy in Donetsk is offered RUB8000 per month (EUR106).

A roofer at Donetsk utility company is offered formal employment and monthly salary of RUB6000 (EUR80).

Cargo-loader/assembler at household chemicals warehouse in Donetsk is paid up to RUB10 000 per month (EUR132).

Subscriber service manager position with formal employment - RUB8000 (EUR106).

There are number of open positions in security services. Job requirements are: male, under 35 years of age. Monthly salary is RUB11000 (EUR150). Some openings list “DNR” militant group issued passport among requirements for job application.

There are also openings for city-specific positions. For example, “excise sticker gluer” gets RUB0.25 per glued sticker of local “DNR” excise tax.

Local grocery agents, who own a vehicle, can earn up to RUB 10000 per month (EUR132).At Novoazovsk monthly wage for this type of job varies from RUB15000 to RUB 25000 (EUR200-330).

Job pay offered at other cities of uncontrolled territories is smaller. For example, shop assistant at Snizhne grocery store gets RUB 3000 per month (EUR40). In Donetsk similar job pays RUB 7000 (EUR93), but requires sanitary book.

Jobs are also available in the Russian Federation.

Greenhouse company from Krasnodarsk region is looking for workers - monthly salary is RUB12000 (EUR160); chef position in Boguchar (Voronezh region) offers RUB45000 (EUR600) per month. Employers from Krasnodarsk region are looking to fill a number of openings: bar benders, concrete men, heating system maintenance and assembly specialists.

To sum it all up, here is a table of openings matched with respective pay:

#FreeNEWS

9 residential apartments for internally displaced (IDPs) were acquired with funds from local budget and state subvention in Pokrovsk. In addition, budget funds will be used for housing renovation. Funds are allocated as follows: UAH25 000 for one room (studio) apartment renovation, UAH30 000 – 2room (1 bedroom), and UAH 35 000 – 3room (2 bedroom).

On April 27 the renewed art festival “Startup Gogolfest” will begin in Maryupil. For the opening event Gogolfest artists turned a trolley-bus into photo camera that makes man-size prints.

Famous Ukrainian performer and action artist Alevtyna Kakhydze painted a wall at Horlivka Institute for Foreign Languages, which currently operates in Bakhmut. The way from Horlivka to Bakhmut decorated one of the walls of “internally displaced” college.

#FreeINFOGRAPHICS

How to get Ukrainian birth/death certificate– Donbas SOS infographics

#FreeNUMBERS

UAH131 mln are allocated to state enterprise “Pervomaiskugol” by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine  for prevention of coal mine shafts flooding with waters coming from shafts located at the uncontrolled territories.

#FreeСХІД Note: Out of the 7 mine shafts of “Pervomaiskugol” only four are located on the territory currently controlled by Ukraine. Two of the shafts located at uncontrolled terrain are fully flooded. Up till this day all the mine shafts – whether operating or flooded - are part of single production complex. Which means that in time Ukrainian production sites will receive additional amount of mine water coming from flooded shafts. If mine water is not duly drained, three new shafts will flood: “Zolote”, “Karbonit”, and “Horska”.

Project relevance: Mining operations of the enterprise are crucial to the region as it provides jobs to the “grey zone” residents, and to the whole country, as it produces thousands of tons of coal per day.

#FreeQuote

 Liudmyla Komlik, an activist for public organization “Yevsug-dia” that provides support to female village residents of Luhansk region tells how social and economy troubles impact families:

In villages women live according to traditional norms and stereotypes. Say, you take care of the kids and the home, and I - a man – make money. But recent events disrupted this life-style. Now men have no opportunity to make decent money. They get upset, and they unleash their disappointment onto kids, and wife. They act out. And we are scared people will find out, so we just try to keep it quiet...

#FreePEOPLE

Andriy TARAMAN, director of Anti-terrorist operation museum in Oleksandro-Kalynovo village (Kostiantynivka region)

Oleksandro-Kalynovo is a picturesque village in close proximity from famous regional “Kleban-Byk” landscape park. One of the rooms at the local lore museum features ATO exhibit  compiled by former military Andriy Taraman.

What’s on display?

There is a large table in the middle of the room. It serves as a showcase for shrapnel, mine and shell pieces collected in Pisky region and at Avdiivka industrial cite. Ukrainian troops’ personal belongings are displayed on the tables along the walls.

Museum walls are decorated with military banners inscribed by soldiers, as well as paintings and letters that they received from Ukrainian kids.

One of the walls is almost completely covered by unique hand-woven Coat of arms of Ukraine, made of surviving Donetsk airport defendants’ ammunition. Under the coat of arms is a huge road sign torn apart by shrapnel. Andriy brought it from Avdiivka. Most of the exhibits were provided to museum by soldiers of 122d and 34th Battalions that were stationed near Oleksandro-Kalynovo.

Interesting fact.

In 2014 the village of Oleksandro-Kalynovo made the news with its unfortunate tank incident, when separatists used village’s own combat vehicle against the Ukrainian army. This is the story of notorious farmer’s tank:

   – In 1985 an WWII IS-3 tank was placed on a pedestal in the center of the village, - tells Andriy Taraman. – They drove the tank on the pedestal – it was in working condition – and everyone new that. So, when Oleksandro-Kalynovo was taken by militants, they just put batteries in the IS-3, changed engine oil, filled gas tank with diesel fuel, and they got the vehicle running and drove to Slaviansk. There the militants used the tank as armor against the Ukrainian Armed Forces. On retreat, they left the tank somewhere along Artemivsk rout. They say, now this tank is at the Museum of Strategic Missile Forces.

Olga POPOVA, frontline Chermalyk

A farmer from frontline Chermalyk Olga Popova has a sizable flock of sheep – about 500 heads. The women dreams of increaseing flock’s headcount to a thousand.  Olga has an animal specialist degree, and had worked in farming her whole life. After retirement she decided to get her own farm running: started with breading pigs four years ago.

#FreeINNITIATIVE

If you don’t know what “cultural mining” means don’t rush to check it with your search engine. Residents of Rubizhne (Luhansk region) put exciting new twist on the notion!

Local initiative team created a mobile hub moving around the city and engaging local kids and teens in cultural and intellectual activities. This idea might come handy as summer break starts.

See you! Yours, Donetsk Press Club!