Lozivska municipality in Kharkiv oblast receives and supports internally displaced persons (IDPs), of which there are already more than 5,000.

This was reported by Ukrinform with reference to the U-LEAD with Europe Programme.

It is noted that Lozivska municipality has become a kind of southern outpost in Kharkiv oblast for internally displaced persons. Although the territory of the municipality was also shelled by the occupiers, the residents of Lozova continue to provide assistance to migrants from the municipalities of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv oblasts.

According to Lozova Mayor Serhiy Zelenskyi, the number of IDPs has already reached more than 5,000.

“We register every refugee, place them in dormitories, and set up one of the schools as a refugee reception center. There is everything you need for temporary residence. We had about 200 people living there, when there was a green corridor from Izium. Sometimes over one day, more than 2,000 people pass through our train station to the west. Volunteers work at the station, we guide people and treat them with sandwiches and tea,” the mayor said.

According to Serhiy Zelenskyi, the municipality provides assistance at the expense of the local budget – the decision of the executive committee of the city council created a reserve fund of 10 million UAH. The funds are used for humanitarian aid, fuel, support of the municipal pharmacy, for building materials for Lozova residents, whose houses were damaged by shelling. In total, there are already 120 such houses in the municipality.

"We have set up a commission to document the damage caused by the Russian invasion, and there is a mobile Administrative Service Centre, which accepts applications and necessary documents from victims of the shelling. We provide them with construction materials, and offer temporary housing to homeless residents,” he commented.

In addition, much attention is paid to humanitarian aid, Mr Zelenskyi stressed. Lozivska municipality has several volunteer centres in the city and together with them sends products, medicines and hygiene products to other rayons of Kharkiv oblast in need. Lozova also receives humanitarian aid from other regions of the country and international funds, which is then distributed. Part of the aid is handed over to the Lozova residents who suffered from the war, and shipped to the starosta districts that received refugees.

"We have already resumed the work of the city ASC. The list of services is still limited. They accept applications from IDPs, people who accommodate displaced persons, and those who are applying for subsidies, benefits, social assistance for the first time. It will soon be possible to apply to the ASC for state compensation for damaged housing. Our agrarians have already started carrying out spring field works, communal services are engaged in landscaping,” Serhiy Zelenskyi summed up.