Support to Veterans of the Great Patriotic War
World War II was the hardest ordeal in the history of the human civilization. For the Belarusian nation, the Great Patriotic War is not just history. Almost all Belarusian families were scathed by the war. Belarus lost every third citizen in that war.
This is why looking after veterans is a sacred moral duty in the country.
As of 1 January 2020, Belarus was home to:
- 5,217 veterans of the Great Patriotic War, including 3,378 disabled veterans and participants of the war (including two Heroes of the Soviet Union);
- 13,961 citizens affected by the war, 410 family members of soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War, 13,022 former prisoners of Nazi camps, 529 people with lifelong disabilities due to an injury, concussion, mutilation suffered as a result of military activities or its consequences during the war.
Support to war veterans and citizens affected by the war has always been one of the priorities of the country’s social policy. The policy is systemic and comprehensive.
The years 2019 and 2020 are special as they mark the 75th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from Nazi invaders and the 75th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet nation in the Great Patriotic War.
In the run-up to the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from Nazi invaders, all regions of the country carried out inspections of living conditions of all veterans of the Great Patriotic War and some categories of citizens affected by the war – around 23,000 people in total. Those who needed it received the necessary assistance in response to applications received during the inspection.
In line with Belarus President’s Decree No.118 of 28 March 2019 “On providing one-time financial aid”, in June 2019 some 22,000 veterans of the Great Patriotic War and some categories of citizens affected by the war received financial assistance in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Belarus’ liberation from Nazi invaders.
In 2020, war veterans and some categories of citizens affected by the were also granted financial assistance in celebration of the 75th anniversary the Victory.
Another social protection measure is health resort treatment. Health resorts provide recuperation services for citizens that are entitled to health resort treatment for free (unemployed people with disabilities and participants of the Great Patriotic War, unemployed people with disabilities of Groups 1 and 2) or for a partial payment that depends on their income and the season (labor veterans and people with disabilities of Group 3) under the legislation.