FreeСХІД.ua#35 Beach vacation in Donbas, Alchevsk game of dominos, and an Islandic movie
War in the East of Ukraine forces people to leave their homes.
Elderly people travel across separation line, IDPS move to big cities. Sometimes trajectories of person’s life journey turn unpredictable. Famous actor trades career in Moscow for a military haircut and a life in Donbas trenches. Meanwhile, a girl from Druzhkivka-city finds herself… in mysterious and beautiful Island.
What has Donbas talked about this week?
#FreeZONE
HORLIVKA. There is still no legal mechanism for paying pensions to Ukrainian citizens residing in uncontrolled territories. Pensioners are forced to cheat the state and receive pension payments as IDPs.
This is what elderly Horlivka resident Nadezhda has to do to receive her pension payment.
· She leaves home at 4:30 am – hour and a half before the “curfew” is over. It is too early for public transportation, so she takes a cab. The trip from Horlivka residential neighborhood controlled by “DNR” to the nearest checkpoint takes about 4 kilometers and costs RUB 50. Part of the amount taxi driver pays to militant guards for crossing checkpoint at odd time.
· “DNR” checkpoint opens at 6:30 am, but pensioners start lining up at night. There is no bathroom, no drinking water, and no shelter to hide from rain or sunlight.
· After five hours of standing in line, Nadezhda passes checkpoint and takes a bus to the “grey zone”. Waiting time is half an hour. Fare costs RUB8, taxi drivers charge RUB250.
· Near the “grey zone” she transfers to the next bus that will take her to separation line – “Mayorsk” checkpoint (another 5 kilometers) fare cost is UAH 5 – this time she pays with Ukrainian money.
· Check process at the Ukrainian checkpoint lasts under an hour; one must have passport and a permit that is valid for a year. Near “Mayorsk” checkpoint Nadezhda takes another bus to the city of Bakhmut controlled by Ukraine. Fare costs UAH 25.
· At “Oshchadbank” bank outlet the woman goes through verification – she confirms she is still residing on controlled territory as IDP, and then she receives her pension. This night Nadezhda will spend at a railway station.
--------------
ALCHEVSK. A city of regional significance with 111 thousand populations in 2014 fell under control of “LNR” militant group. The city used to have the highest wages in Luhansk region – at local coke plant and metallurgical factory. And what is going on there now?
Journalists of "Realna gazeta" visited the occupied city and talked to the former metallurgical plant specialists who are now whiling away their days playing domino.
#FreeLAW
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine changed the terms for IDP identification in “Oshchadbank” Bank. The innovation concerns owners of electronic pension certificates (EPC). From now on, instead of undergoing verification procedure at “Oshchadbank” every once a year, they will have to do it every 6 months, as provided by cabinet decree #548 dated July 11, 2018. Previous terms of identification for pensioners with EPC were: every six month during the first year, than – once a year. For pensioners who have not got their EPC issued, identification terms remain unchanged - every 3 months.
Why is it bad? According to “Vostok SOS” volunteers this change in physical identification procedure is a major surprise. “These additional trips to the bank, additional load on the bank cannot be considered positive”, - say volunteers.
#FreeNUMBER
In Ukrainian courts there are currently about 150 cases for damage compensation for residential housing destroyed as result of military action in Donbas.
Courts issue decisions in favor of plaintiffs, meaning Ukraine must compensate for damages from the state budget, according to article 19 of the Counter Terrorism Act. These decisions, however, are not being fulfilled: the process is significantly slowed down by the fact that the Russian Federation has to take part in judicial pleadings as the third party. Besides, the large number of cases is still pending with the appeal court.
#FreeQUOTE
The Minister of International Development of Canada Marie-Claude Bibeau was struck by daily sufferings of the “grey zone” residents. The guest visited Kramatorsk, Bakhmut, Kurdiumivka and “Mayorsk” checkpoint.
I saw people crossing at checkpoint, including those from occupied territories, I talked to residents of nearby villages, they are among the most vulnerable populations. When talking to me, people kept repeating there is only one thing they want – peace, since only then they will be able to return to normal.
#FreeLEASURE
Between resort and reality. “Hromadske” journalists took a close look at Donbas beach season on both sides of contact line.
What useful info did they learn?
· It costs about RUB 10 000 (UAH 4 000/ $160) for a two-week vacation. That’s the average cost of vacation in Sedovo-village – the only resort controlled by militants.
· Accommodation varies: for RUB 100 (about UAH42/ $1.5) per day is the cheapest option – bed in a house away from the beach, with no fridge, and with outdoor closet. Meanwhile, about RUB 3 000 (UAH1250, $47) per day will buy you a single “suite” right by the sea.
· OSCE mission observers are not allowed to the village. Just a few days ago militants denied entry to Sedovo to the mission patrol, saying that the district is closed to foreign citizens.
There is similar information about Urzuf resort controlled by Ukraine in “Hromadske” story.
#FreeNEWS
Students of Donetsk Law Institute shared pictures of their educational institution in the occupied territory. Today the institute premises are vacant. No one studies here. What was destroyed is not being rebuilt, and what is still left is not being cared for.
In Mariupol Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) and Joint Forces Operation (JFO) veterans will get free education - costs covered by the City Council – at colleges and driving schools. Tuition contract is made between the social welfare department, educational establishment and ATO/JFO combatants.
Because of the weather and poor conditions of the grid, power often shuts down in Luhansk region. On July 24 “Luhansk Power Pool” announced that 2492 consumers in 5 settlements of Papasna, Kremin and Bilovodsky districts were left without power.
#FreePEOPLE
Liudmyla MYKHALTSOVA, Luhansk region – Kharkiv
When Liudmila moved to Kharkiv - away from the war – she faced lots of problems typical to IDPs: lack of jobs and place to live, need to take care of a child who often got ill. In the end, Liudmila decided to start her own business – making lingerie, nightgowns, bath robes and swim suits. She used grant money to buy sewing equipment and acquired basic business and marketing skills at entrepreneur training courses.
Now she works at home - at a rental apartment. The kid is in the next room, so Mom can always check on him. “I was quite happy – here is my kid, and I am making money and getting better at it”, – says the IDP. Liudmila is planning on hiring an assistant to help her with sewing, since she has more orders than she can manage.
Anatoliy PASHYNIN, actor, Russia – Donetsk region
Popular actor Anatoliy Pashynin in 2014 supported the Revolution of Dignity, left Moscow and moved to Ukraine. Now he is fighting in Donbas with Ukrainian Volunteer Corps.
In his interview Pashynin shares his view of Ukrainian authorities, tells what people at war are scared of the most, and explains why he has no regrets for his interrupted profitable acting career. Anatoliy also shares his vision of the nearest future of Russia, and tells why he calls himself a “mad clown”
Viacheslav REDKO, Horlivka – Kyiv
Viacheslav spends his time persuading Ukrainian web-site owners – both corporate and public – to remove Russian flag from their internet pages. One of the first companies to remove Russian flag on his insistence was Vodafone wireless provider.
Viacheslav’s main argument is as follows: “With this symbol I saw Donbas being destroyed, I saw Crimea being destroyed – and I cannot stay indifferent”.
#FreeMOVIE
Film of joint production by Ukraine and Island “Woman at War” premiered recently at Odessa Film Festival. This apocalyptic comedy was co-produced by Island, France, and Ukraine and directed by Icelandic film director Benedikt Erlingsson.
What is the movie about? The main character is 50 year-old Islandic woman Halla, implacable crusader against pollution of her native land. Halla wages a war on local aluminum plant, and her fight takes quite extreme forms: eco-saboteur short circuits plant power grid, disperses pamphlets from roof top, runs from police… All of it against beautiful scenery of Island that Halla is trying to save from the soulless and greedy corporation.
What’s Donbas to do with it? Spoiler alert! Halla has long wanted to become a mother and is waiting for reply from child services, that should give her adoption permit for a small girl Nika, whose parents died in the war in the eastern Ukraine. Now brave Halla faces a dilemma: keep risking life fighting her eco-war, or save little Nika from the front zone.
Industrialized Donbas with all of its eco-problems is the quintessence of everything that the heroine tries to avoid in her home-land.
#FreeANNOUNCEMENT
July 28-29 there will be a book fare in Slaviansk. Publishers from different regions of Ukraine, public and cultural activists, journalists are expected at the event.
Also the UNDP tolerance envoys Lubko Deresh and Pavlo Vyshebaba are expected as guests. There will be multiple master-classes, as well as cultural program presented by guests from Lviv.
See you next week!