Pension for combat veterans: essential information you need to know.

The Main Directorate of the Pension Fund of Ukraine in Donetsk region has clarified the issue of pension provision for participants in combat actions.

Participants in combat actions are entitled to an early retirement pension upon reaching 55 years of age for men, provided they have a minimum insurance record of 25 years, and 50 years of age for women with at least 20 years of insurance record (Article 115 of the Law of Ukraine dated 09.07.2003 No. 1058-IV).

The amount of pension for combat participants depends on the duration of their acquired insurance record and the income on which insurance contributions were paid.

Combat participants receive the following pension benefits:

- an increase of 25% of the minimum subsistence level established for individuals who have lost their ability to work (Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine dated 22.10.1993 No. 3551 "On the Status of War Veterans, Guarantees of Their Social Protection");

- targeted cash assistance for living expenses of 40 UAH (Law of Ukraine dated 16.03.2004 No. 1603 "On Improving the Material Conditions of Participants in Combat Actions and Persons with Disabilities due to War");

- monthly state targeted assistance to the pension if the monthly pension payment amount (taking into account surcharges, increases, additional pensions, targeted cash assistance, amounts of indexation, and other pension supplements established by law, excluding pensions for special services to Ukraine) does not reach 4958 UAH (Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 28.07.2010 No. 656 "On Establishing Monthly State Targeted Assistance to the Pension for Persons with Disabilities due to War and Participants in Combat Actions").

To apply for a pension, participants in combat actions need to provide original documents:

- passport;

- taxpayer identification number;

- employment record book or documents confirming service record (documents regarding military service);

- salary statement (monetary allowance) up to December 2016 (if salary data is absent in the Register of Insured Persons);

- combat participant certificate;

- certificates of direct participation in activities necessary to ensure the defense of Ukraine, protect the safety of the population, and safeguard the interests of the state in connection with the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine;

- photo (for the issuance of a pension certificate).

An application for the assignment/recalculation of a pension for a combat participant can be submitted through the web portal of electronic services of the Pension Fund of Ukraine or in person at any service center of the Pension Fund.

The list of combat participants is defined in Article 6 of the Law of Ukraine dated 22.10.1993 No. 3551.