Funds for social benefits for POWs already included in 2025 budget – reintegration ministry

Anatolii Stelmakh, Ukraine's Acting Minister for the Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, said this in a comment to Ukrinform.

"A commission was set up at the Reintegration Ministry to establish the fact of being in captivity. After the decision of this commission, a person receives the right to certain social benefits. This commission will be retained and these payments will be retained too. They have already been included in the budget for 2025," Stelmakh said.

He noted that work with both military and civilian POWs is a priority for the ministry.

"In the context of the general budget for the Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, it takes up about 80% of its budget," he said.

Stelmakh stressed that after the reform of the Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, the care of prisoners of war will be strengthened.

"I would like to emphasize separately that both military and civilian prisoners of war will be provided with all payments and benefits. In addition, our ministry is already preparing draft legal framework for expanding the rights of prisoners," Stelmakh said.