Donetsk, Apr 26 — DAN. The Federation Council upper house of the Russian parliament has approved the law on the possibility to grant the status of war veteran or disabled veteran to militiamen of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. The document was supported by all the 160 senators present at the session which was livestreamed on the FC website.

“The presented law fulfills Russian President Vladimir Putin’s instruction on establishing a uniform system of rights, benefits, social guarantees and compensations for the Donbass militia, ” First Deputy FC speaker Andrey Turchak said. “It grants the status of war veteran or disabled veteran to servicemen of the People’s Militias and other military formations of the DPR and LPR who have been fighting for Donbass since 2014.”

All benefits and measures of support to which veterans are entitled, including monthly allowances, tax reductions, reduced utility bills and fares, and spa and medical services will be available to militiamen. “The law redresses the situation for all those who have been fighting against the genocide of Russian people in Donbass for the past nine years, ” Turchak said.*jk