Donetsk, Sep 6 - DAN. The United Donbass Foundation has paid 54 million rubles worth of financial assistance to the needy in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Kiev-controlled areas over a year since the start of its operation, Foundation chairman Oleg Balykin said at a press briefing at Donetsk News Agency on Tuesday.

“The social organisation marks the first anniversary of its operation under the aegis of the Donbass people reunification humanitarian programme,” Balykin said. “As of March 5, 1,788 payments totalling 54,185,740 rubles had been made.”

The Foundation’s Commission has approved a total of 2,196 requests for financial aid worth 68,672,440 rubles since last spring. Payments are made according to schedule.

At the latest meeting on 28 February, the Commission reviewed 461 applications. It approved 191 requests for a total of 7.5 million rubles worth of aid. The remaining 270 requests were turned down as the Commission was unable to ascertain whether the applicant was in a difficult financial situation.

The United Donbass Foundation, established at DPR head Alexander Zakharchenko’s order was launched on 9 March 2017 as part of humanitarian programme implementation. The programme envisions cash payments and provision of food and medications which can also be contributed by Donetsk People’s Republic residents. *jk