Donetsk, Mar 29 - DAN. The United Donbass Foundation social organisation has paid nearly 24 million rubles worth of financial assistance to the needy in the region since the beginning of this year, Foundation chairman Oleg Balykin told the Donetsk News Agency on Thursday.

“The United Donbass Foundation, under the aegis of the Donbass people reunification humanitarian programme, is continuing to help residents in a difficult situation,” Balykin said. “It paid 680 benefits totalling 23,761,000 rubles from January 1 through March 27.”

The Foundation’s Commission plans to review more than 450 requests for aid at the March 30 meeting.

The Donetsk People's Republic launched the Foundation on March 9, 2017. The aid can be provided as cash payments or food and medications which can also be contributed by DPR residents. *jk