Government to audit social benefit distribution in territories occupied by Russia

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Reintegration Iryna Vereshchuk, based on the results of an interdepartmental meeting on payments to citizens currently living in the temporarily Russia-occupied territories, announced an audit on the feasibility of continuing certain payments.

"There are payments that require revision from the point of view of social justice and political expediency. That is, we need to look again to see how justified it is to continue payments," Vereshchuk said.

The state continues to pay certain categories of teachers, doctors and employees of state-owned enterprises, as well as displaced persons in the temporarily occupied territories.

Also, according to the minister, payments of subsidies and benefits to citizens in the temporarily occupied territories continue despite the fact that the provision of utility services does not actually take place.

"For now, we are not talking about canceling payments. We are talking about an audit and assessment of feasibility from the point of view of current reality. Based on the results of the audit, some payments may be stopped or suspended," Vereshchuk said.

In the near future the relevant ministries and agencies will conduct an appropriate audit and provide working proposals.

On August 31, Vereshchuk reported that almost 180,000 citizens of Ukraine "mistakenly" receive payments as internally displaced persons. From September 1, the state stopped paying these people.