DRC`s Legal Alert: Issue 116| 1 – 31 March 2025
1. RD4U Opens Claims Category for Missing Immediate Family Members
Background: RD4U1 is the first2 component of the future international compensation mechanism, serving as a record of claims and evidence related to damage, loss, or injury caused by the full-scale invasion. It will not be used to evaluate the claims, determine their value, or make any payments. There are 45 categories of claims, depending on the type of damage, loss, or injury. As of March 11, 2025, claim categories A3.1 (dedicated to damage or destruction of residential immovable property) and A2.1 (covers the death of an immediate family member) are open for submission.
Recent developments: On March 12, 2025, a new claim category, A2.2 (missing immediate family member), was opened for submission, allowing people whose immediate family members went missing due to the full-scale invasion to submit a claim for compensation.
There are general eligibility criteria that apply to each category of claims. Claims must relate to damage, loss, or injury caused:
• On or after 24 February 2022;
• within the territory of Ukraine and its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial waters;
• by the Russian Federation’s internationally illegal actions in or against Ukraine.
In addition to these criteria, there are specific rules applicable to the category A2.2:
According to the information on the official website of the RD4U, claims can currently only be submitted for individuals officially registered as missing in Ukraine’s Unified Register of Persons Missing Under Special Circumstances.
Important Details:
• If a person went missing outside Ukraine, immediate family members may submit a claim if there is a direct connection between the disappearance and the full-scale invasion.
• If the missing person was in the military or law enforcement, immediate family members are still entitled to submit a claim.
What is next: After a claim is submitted, the Secretariat of the RD4U will review the claim against the eligibility criteria and prepare recommendations regarding its recording in the Register. The Board of the RD4U will decide whether to approve the claim for recording in the Register, reject the claim, or return it for further processing by the Secretariat. All communication with claimants happens exclusively through Diia.
1 Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine
2 The future Compensation Mechanism is yet to be determined but may include a claims commission and a compensation fund to review claims and provide payments
3 An individual registered in Ukraine’s Unified Register of Persons Missing Under Special Circumstances is considered a missing person.
4 Biological, legally recognised adoptive parent or stepparents.
5 By way of legal marriage or a civil partnership.
6 A biological child, legally recognized adopted child, or stepchild (the child of a spouse or civil partner).
7 Such claimants should provide evidence proving: 1) their family relationship with the missing person; 2) their particularly close ties with the missing person; and 3) elements of dependence on the missing person.
8 Approximate date of disappearance, last known whereabouts, type of event surrounding the disappearance, description of the disappearance, entry in the Register of Missing Persons, information about the relevant law enforcement investigation (if applicable).
2. The Parliament Abolishes Administrative Fee for Issuing Passports for Those Released from Captivity
Background: Due to the war, many Ukrainians have been illegally deprived of their liberty. Among them are prisoners of war and civilians protected by the Geneva Conventions. One of the most urgent needs of such Ukrainian citizens is the rapid issuance of a passport, because without an identity document, it is impossible to realize their rights as stipulated by the legislation.
Persons illegally deprived of their personal liberty – citizens of Ukraine taken hostage as a result of international armed conflict, deprived of their liberty, as well as captured by the opponent state as prisoners of war.
This category also includes foreigners and stateless persons who, at the time of their deprivation of liberty (capture), were serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine or other military formations established in accordance with the laws of Ukraine.
Recent developments: On 25 February 2025, the Parliament adopted Law № 4257-IX, according to which, a person who was held in detention as a result of war in Ukraine will not have to pay an administrative fee when obtaining a Ukrainian passport. However, the condition is that the person must apply for a passport within one year of being released from detention.
A passport will be issued to such people no later than three 3 working days from the date of submission of the application form.
The total cost of the administrative fee for issuing a passport of a citizen of Ukraine in the form of an ID-card within 20 working days is UAH 558 (cost of administrative service - UAH 126 and the cost of the form - UAH 432).
According to the official information of the Coordination Staff for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, from February 24, 2022, to February 2025, 61 POW repatriations were carried out and 4131 people were released:
• 3879 men (3749 military and 130 civilians);
• 252 women (209 military and 43 civilians)10.
3. «Prykhystok» Program: From 1 March, 2025, Compensation Appointment and Payments Are Managed by the Pension Fund
Background: «Prykhystok» Program is still active in Ukraine, offering financial compensation to housing owners11 who provide free housing for internally displaced people (IDPs).
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, nearly 1.2 million IDPs have benefited from the «Prykhystok» Program. Currently, around 65,000 households are participating in the program, hosting over 160,000 IDPs12.
Recent developments: According to the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution № 1544, since 1 March, 2025, the procedure for providing and paying compensation for utilities and temporary housing for IDPs has been managed by the Pension Fund.
Housing owners can submit documents online through the Pension Fund's e-services portal or via the Pension Fund mobile app. The online submission process significantly simplifies the compensation procedure and speeds up payments.
How to receive compensation: For housing owners already participating in the program, payments will continue automatically, and no additional actions are required.
Those who wish to apply for the first time or have hosted IDPs after 1 January, 2025, should contact the Pension Fund starting from 1 March, 2025. The application can be submitted through the Pension Fund’s e-services portal or in person at a Pension Fund service centre13.
Compensation provisions: Compensation is paid to the housing owner for 6 months, with the possibility of automatic extension for another 6 months after verification.
The amount of compensation is 450 UAH per month per hosted IDP.
Cases when compensation is not granted:
• The housing owner and the IDP are immediate family members (parents, spouse, children, including adopted children).
• The IDP has not lived at the address where compensation is provided14 for more than a month or has been abroad for more than 30 consecutive days at the time of the verification.
• Within 3 months before the application, the IDP has purchased, received as a gift, or obtained any housing on preferential terms.
• The hosted person (the IDP) receiving other housing and utilities subsidies or privileges.
10 Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
11 "The term “housing owner” refers to individuals who are citizens of Ukraine or their representatives. The housing owner is the one who can apply for this compensation - in other words, the housing owner is the applicant under this program.
12 https://dnipr.kyivcity.gov.ua/news/finansuvannia-prohramy-prykhystok-prodovzheno-do-kintsia-roku
13 The list of Pension Fund service centers across Ukraine: https://www.pfu.gov.ua/2152993-servisni-tsentry-gu-pfu/
14 This information is provided by the National Social Service of Ukraine.
4. The next 6-month extension of the IDPs allowances
Background information:
• (1st period September 2023 - February 2024) On 31 July 2023, the Cabinet adopted Decree №789, introducing a six-month means-tested allowance for IDPs15.
• (2nd period March 2024 - August 2024) On 26 January 2024, the Cabinet adopted Decree №94, which amended the procedure for granting IDPs allowances, establishing additional wealth criteria, priority categories of population and mechanisms to extend the allowance16.
• (3rd period September 2024 - February 2025) On 30 August 2024, the Cabinet adopted Decree №989, extending the payment of IDPs allowances for another six months for certain categories of citizens. IDPs for whom the second six-month period started on 1 March 2024 and who still met the eligibility criteria continued to receive assistance for another six months automatically, without the need for additional applications. The Ministry of Social Policy is responsible for verifying eligibility17.
Recent developments:
• (4th period March 2025 - August 2025) On 29 January 2025, the Cabinet adopted Decree №1507 on the automatic extension of the IDPs' allowance and clarification of certain provisions on the rental subsidy came into force, once again extending payments.
NB: IDPs cannot receive the allowance and a subsidy for rent18 at the same time, even if they meet the criteria for these programmes.
15 More details in DRC Legal Alert Special on IDPs: Issue 101.
17 More details in DRC Legal Alert: Issue 106.
18 More details in DRC Legal Alert Special on Subsidy for Rent: Issue 110.
This Legal Alert is produced thanks to the financial support of the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund and the European Union.
Some of the terminology used in this issue of the Legal Alert was taken from draft laws or current legislation. The contents of this analysis are the sole responsibility of the author/authors. The views expressed herein should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, European Union or the Danish Refugee Council (DRC). The European Commission, Fund, and DRC are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.