2.595 Grivna Additional Payment to Ukrainian Retirees in Çernobil Regions

The Ukrainian government is preparing to take a new social support step for retirees who lived in regions affected by the Çernobil Nükleer Santrali disaster. Based on the 2026 state budget law, this regulation plans to make an additional payment of 2.595 Grivna per month to non-working retirees who meet certain conditions. Announced by the Ukrayna Emeklilik Fonstu, this implementation is considered an important step towards healing the wounds of the disaster and economically supporting the victims. Since the amount to be paid is calculated based on the minimum living index determined for individuals who have lost their ability to work, it can be re-evaluated every year. Thus, it is aimed to partially protect the purchasing power of retirees against inflationary pressures.

In order to benefit from the aforementioned additional payment, candidates must fulfill certain and strict residency conditions. Applicants are required to have lived in mandatory or guaranteed voluntary evacuation zones as of the date of the Çernobil disaster, 26 Nisan 1986. In addition, it is stated that individuals who resided in the said dangerous radiation-contaminated zone until the date of 1 Ocak 1993 will also be able to benefit from this right. It is emphasized that retirees who have changed their addresses within the boundaries of the same radioactive zone will not be deprived of this support and their rights will be protected. These comprehensive criteria aim to ensure that the support reaches those who were truly adversely affected by the disaster and had to live in the region.

However, this additional payment system is not an unlimited regulation covering everyone and clearly excludes some groups. For example, people who moved to a safe zone after the disaster and later returned to the contaminated region cannot benefit from this right. Similarly, it is not possible for individuals who settled in these risky regions for the first time after the date of 26 Nisan 1986 to receive support. Another important rule of the regulation is that currently actively working retirees cannot benefit from this additional payment. These restrictions aim to direct the resources in the state budget to disadvantaged groups who need it the most and live entirely on their retirement pensions.

In order to prevent victimization due to registration deficiencies, the Ukrainian government has also introduced a brand-new entitlement mechanism for 2026. Under normal circumstances, information regarding that person's residence in the contaminated region must be present in state databases or citizenship records. However, if the necessary official information is not available in the passport, Demografik Devlet Kayıt Sistemi, or Göç İdaresi database, retirees will have the right to apply to a special commission. These special commissions will operate under regional military administrations and will evaluate the process fairly, similar to their counterparts in Türkiye. It was reported that retirees wishing to apply must submit the necessary documents by the date of 30 Eylül 2026, and that currently eight such commissions are actively operating throughout Ukraine.

In addition to these Çernobil-focused additional payments, there are also automatic additional salary supports that come into effect as age progresses in Ukraine. According to Ukrayna Emeklilik Fonstu data, an extra 300 Grivna is paid to all retirees who reach the age of 70, 456 Grivna to those who reach the age of 75, and 570 Grivna to those who exceed the age of 80. These age-based payments are calculated automatically starting from the first month following the person's birthday, without requiring any bureaucracy. In addition, extra social support of over a thousand Grivna can be provided annually to women who have raised five or more children, but applying in person is required to benefit from this opportunity. These various social support mechanisms aim to provide a better standard of living, to the extent of budgetary means, to the country's aging population and citizens with special circumstances.