The Government has approved amendments to its Resolution No. 1364 dated 6 December 2022, which introduce a clearer and more transparent algorithm for determining the status of territories where hostilities are (were) ongoing or which are temporarily occupied.

Communities can now independently submit their proposals to the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories to change the status of a locality if it meets the relevant criteria.

The Ministry will appoint a commission responsible for compiling a list, which will consider proposals from communities if they have not been taken into account at the level of regional administrations.

The commission will include representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for additional verification of the status of the locality and the security situation on the ground.

The list will be updated regularly – at least once a month – to allow for a rapid response to changes in the security situation in the country.

Until now, the absence of a unified mechanism for compiling such a list has posed challenges for the authorities and local governments. In particular, it has been difficult to determine the exact dates of the start and end of hostilities or occupation.

The inclusion of a locality in the list is grounds for exercising the right to compensation for property destroyed or damaged as a result of russian aggression. It also affects the right to receive assistance for internally displaced persons, tax calculations, and the operation of state registers, business conditions, as well as salary calculations for municipal enterprises.

‘We are creating a clear “road map” for determining the status of each locality. These are not just technical changes, but a tool for ensuring fairness. Citizens and businesses must have clear legal certainty about the status of their territory at any given time. A unified approach will prevent discrepancies in the interpretation of legislation and enhance the effectiveness of state support at the local level,’ says Oleksii Riabykin.

The new mechanism will ensure transparency in the interaction between central executive bodies and regional military administrations, allowing data to be updated quickly depending on the situation on the front line.