Dear Readers:
Two quick stories today, both from August 27.
#1: I saw this piece by reporter Maria Pavlova. Vladimir Rogov, who serves on the Main Soviet of the Military-Civilian Administration of the Zaporozhie Oblast, reports that “a majority of” Ukrainian servicemen protecting the Nuclear Power Plant, have gone over to the Russian side. These are not engineers, but rather Ukrainian National Guard soldiers whose job was to secure the plant from threats.
Rogov doesn’t give any specific numbers, how many people are we talking about? just that “the overwhelming majority” of these soldiers made the decision to switch to the Russian army; and are in the process of receiving Russian citizenship: “They remain loyal to their oath, in serving the people who live in Energodar. The majority of these guys already received Russian citizenship, or are in the process of doing so. They either plan to, or already started to, serve in Russian army units. All the right-thinking people are making the choice, in favor of Russia.”
#2: I saw this piece by reporter Dmitry Zubarev. This related piece by reporter Alexander Grishin adds additional details. On Saturday August 27 Putin signed simultaneously two Presidential decrees (ukaz) about the right of Ukrainian citizens (be they from the DPR, LPR or Ukraine itself) to reside in the Russian Federation, without any time limits on their visa. People wishing to take advantage of this generous offer need to submit to being fingerprinted [for obvious security reasons, especially after the recent terrorist attack against Darya Dugina, allegedly committed by a refugee from Mariupol]. They must also submit a photo ID and a medical certificate. [Not sure if the latter is for covid, or just for vaccines in general; or maybe they have to be clean of tuberculosis, just speculating here.] Applicants must also take a drug test and prove that they are clean. [So, I am guessing they need to piss in a cup on the way in?]
Once these people are inside Russian borders, they are allowed to seek work and find a job without having to apply for a separate work permit. According to the decree, there are “no restrictions” upon them, which I read to mean, that they can also travel freely, in search of work.
The second decree names dollar amounts to which these refugees are entitled. Government assistance will be available to these Ukrainian refugees. Those qualifying for a [retirement] pension will receive 10,000 rubles per month. The same amount for”invalids” (disabled). With a bonus of 3,000 rubles for invalids of Group I, children of invalids, and pensioners over the age of 80. And a bonus of 5,000 rubles to veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
Pregnant women will receive a one-time payout of 10,000 rubles. Upon giving birth to the baby, they will receive a one-time payout of 20,000 rubles. The monthly stipend for each child is 4,000 rubles. For a foster child the payment is 15,000 rubles (monthly). A single parent will also receive 10,000 rubles per month, per child.
The Russian government is already, from its own budget, paying out 10,000 monthly to the parents of pupils from the age of 6 to 18, who reside in the Donbass Republics or other liberated territories. In other words, these new entitlements transfer those existing benefits onto people who have relocated to Russian territory; and also expand the number and amounts of the benefits.
To put things in perspective: 10,000 rubles is something around $165 dollars. So it doesn’t sound like that much. However, when one takes into account that something like 2 million refugees are affected by this, then one can start to see the magnitude of the problem, and the relative generosity of the Russian state. Even more important, these decrees can ease the minds of the displaced: They enjoy a special status now which frees them somewhat from the grind of Russian bureaucracy. They don’t have to worry about time deadlines or being kicked out of the country. One less thing to fret about, for people who live their lives in what must be a constant state of anxiety about the future of their families.
Awful Avalanche 
> medical certificate. [Not sure if the latter is for covid, or just for vaccines in general; or maybe they have to be clean of tuberculosis, just speculating here.] Applicants must also take a drug test and prove that they are clean. [So, I am guessing they need to piss in a cup on the way in?]
Pretty sure these are not separate points. It’s medical certification of the drug test.
LikeLike
Unless it is for potential bioweapon threats from all the bioweapon experimentation on Ukrainians by the US?
LikeLike
Maybe. But I would bet it might have something to do with covid.
LikeLike
I’ve thought all along that there is no battle here for land between Europe and Russia.
But there is a real battle for workers and children (future workers).
God Help the Ukrainian in 2030 who is hoping for a hip replacement on the Ukrainian health service.
My sister is a Nurse manager in NHS, one of her nurses has just returned to Poland for a fortnight. “If I give you a very big bag can you bring back 2 Ukrainian Nurses for me”.
LikeLike
Do they need to be still alive on arrival? Putting people in bags has been known to be a little risky!
LikeLike
speaking as an immigrant (US -> canada) i can say those requirements are pretty much identical to what i had to do. fingerprints, ID, notarized crap, piss test, medical exam and a chest x-ray. plus i had to list my info going back 10 years (residence, work). so technically the russian system is less draconian and sh_tty than canada’s. i should also mention that my application was slow walked (a year and a goddamn half) and i wasn’t allowed to work that entire time. work permits here tie you to one employer and if you quit or get fired you have to go back over the border and come back with a new one.
i’m guessing these refugees/immigrants are treated well as fellow russians/slavs whereas every encounter with border agents here was like dealing with coked up stasi.
LikeLike
What a horrible experience! I personally abhor bureaucracy.
Chest x-ray, hm? That confirms my suspicion that people are still worried about tuberculosis. I had to get tested for TB in order to obtain my current job (plus the piss test and a criminal background check to make sure I wasn’t a sex predator). But at least I didn’t have to do a chest-Xray. It was just the skin test, that’s the one where they stick a needle under your skin and poke around.
LikeLike