OREANDA-NEWS The deputies of the State Duma unanimously passed a bill on the recognition of participants in the special operations of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine and Donbass as veterans of combat operations. This is stated in the material of Lenta.ru.

According to the speaker of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, the law grants the status of combat veteran and disabled combat veteran to persons who performed tasks during special operations in Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.

This will make it possible to extend to them tax, transport, land and housing measures of social support, as well as benefits for paying utility bills.

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a special operation in the Donbass. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian troops strike only Ukrainian military facilities; the civilian population is not threatened.