Gov't proposes to give the combatant status only to servicemen and accelerate this process

The status of combatants should be given only to those who with arms in hand are protecting Ukraine. "This is the Defense Ministry, i. e. the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry, Interior Ministry, State Border Guard Service, National Guard of Ukraine, SBU, State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection, Foreign Intelligence Service, State Security Service, State Emergency Service, evacuating people from the ATO area, State Penitentiary Service and Special Transportation Service - those who are repairing railway routes and are trying to restore the infrastructure under shelling by the Russian terrorists," Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk has informed at a government meeting on Wednesday, February 4.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine proposes, instead of granting the combatant status to civilians, to double the wage for civilians performing functions in the ATO area.

The Government of Ukraine, according to the Prime Minister, will offer the Verkhovna Rada "to abandon the practice of providing any civilians with the combatant status, including officials."

At the same time Arseniy Yatsenyuk has instructed the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction Housing and Utilities together with the Ministry of Social Policy and the Ministry of Finance to provide a two-fold increase of the wages for civilians who are in the area of anti-terrorist operation "and are performing civil function in assisting the Armed Forces and the National Guard in the fight against the Russian terrorists":"A two-fold increase in payment for time spent in the ATO area and performing their functions will be provided for those civilians who perform their function in the area of counter-terrorism operations."

Arseniy Yatsenyuk also stressed that a procedure of obtaining the combatant status is now “long through certain objective and subjective factors”.

Therefore, the Government suggests to tackle this issue at a level of the Commission within the State Service on ATO Veterans and Participants - "exceptionally disputable issues with regard to the combatant status” - and to preserve the function of filling a single state register for members of the anti-terrorist operation.

The authority to confer the status of the combatant on the military personnel and other relevant categories, he noted, will be devolved to the commissions established within the Ministry of Defence and other security and law enforcement agencies, "This will enable to halve the term of verification the documents and the term to confer the combatant status to our servicemen".

"I appeal to each Ukrainian citizen who has taken for himself a responsible decision - to take weapons in hands and defend the country - to join the Armed Forces and the National Guard. Those who are the servicemen, are undoubtedly covered by all state guarantees called to protect the citizens of Ukraine, those who protect the country as a part of the regular army, the National Guard and other law enforcement bodies," he said.

"In order to get the combatant status, benefits and guarantees from the state, it is mandatory to join the Armed Forces or the National Guard, thus to entitle the state to provide the relevant guarantees to each Ukrainian who fights for his country. As it is crucial to fight coherently and exceptionally as one - when everyone knows what commands they follow", said Arseniy Yatsenyuk.