On February 24, the life of every Ukrainian completely changed once and for all. A full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has been going on for more than two months. Sometimes it seems that you can get used to everything, but it is impossible to get used to war and the sound of explosions.
The Ukrainian people rallied to defend the independence of the country, their freedom and their own home. Therefore, we are starting a series of interviews with the heads of the united territorial communities of Odesa to find out what has changed in the life of the community, how people help each other and what they plan for the future. Serhii Khrustovskyi, the head of the Avangardiv OTG, told us about the achievements and challenges that faced the community during the war.
- Sergei, please tell us how the martial law and the invasion of Russia affected the functioning of the community?
Every day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully repel the Russian aggressor. At the same time, local self-government bodies take measures to ensure the livelihood of communities, their residents, and displaced persons, and implement measures to resist the enemy. Today, the most important thing is the victory of Ukraine! Therefore, all forces and resources should be directed to its achievement. Rural, village and urban communities of Odesa are rich, strong territorial communities with powerful budgets. In our Avangard community, which is self-sufficient, although not the richest in the region, since the beginning of the war, 50 million hryvnias have already been provided and approved by programs from the budget for the support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, territorial defense, and support for internally displaced persons. And such support should be in every community!
The work of the Vanguard settlement council in the conditions of martial law changed significantly. Those tasks and functions, which were basic before the war, today make up about 30%. All structural subdivisions are formed into five working groups in key directions. Yes, this is a working group on evacuation and temporary accommodation of internally displaced persons, a working group on ensuring social benefits for internally displaced persons in the community, compensations related to their placement, assistance to persons mobilized to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and enlisted in territorial defense, the working group on issues of volunteering and humanitarian aid, the working group on issues of life support for the stable operation of social sphere objects, critical infrastructure and housing stock of settlements, as well as the working group on issues of military registration, reservation and mobilization of conscripts. Some of the employees of the village council and communal institutions have been mobilized, including three managers.
— How many of your employees decide to go abroad? But do state institutions and businesses work at all?
The Vanguard settlement council, as a body of local self-government, and all structural divisions, in particular the Center for the provision of administrative services, adapt to work in war conditions and continue to work.
Employees of the village council work efficiently every day at their workplaces to solve new and new tasks, communicate with other communities, charitable foundations and public organizations, receive and help people who come to us from Kharkiv, Kherson, Mariupol, Pokrovsk, Avdiyivka, Kakhovka and many others other cities, towns and villages where active hostilities are taking place.
So, every day, the Center for Social Development of the Avangardiv Settlement Council accepts 40-50 applications from internally displaced persons. As of the morning of May 5, our community received 1439 internally displaced persons from areas where shelling and active hostilities are ongoing, including 243 children. Most of these people stay with us, some move on. Each application is processed and assistance is provided on various issues. In addition to registration certificates on the territory of the community, which give the opportunity to receive assistance from the state, people receive humanitarian assistance - hygiene products, basic necessities, clothes, food kits.
Communal enterprises and institutions that provide fire safety, water supply, drainage, garbage removal and other functions necessary for the life of the community are also open and perform their tasks in a timely manner. In our community, all life support systems work stably.
Business was greatly affected by the war. After all, in the Odesa region, which carries out the main trade and logistics activities, in particular, in the largest industrial goods market of Ukraine. According to our observations, the business is currently working, but with a certain slump, which is connected with the blocking of export/import operations. There are agricultural producers who sow and cultivate the fields even during the curfew; large trade organizations (Epicenter), FOEs work on the industrial goods market. However, the volume of income from personal income tax (personal income tax) fell by 40% as a result of the war, the volume of income from the single tax (including due to the reduction of rates) fell by 73% compared to pre-war indicators. The existing dynamics of paying taxes and fees may lead to a shortfall in the budget of about 100 million hryvnias, which could be directed to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, territorial defense, internally displaced persons or socially vulnerable categories of the community's population. Therefore, given that the situation in the Avangard community is relatively calm and under control, we once again call on businesses to pay taxes and fees on time and in full.
— How things are with goods and fuel in the community. Do the locals ask for help?
A food reserve has been formed in the Avangard community, which is constantly updated and replenished. UAH 2 million was allocated from the village budget for the purchase of dry rations. The logistics warehouse is almost full with food products (pasta, sausage products, flour, oil, sugar, stew, lard, biscuits, water, etc.).
In order to find goods that have become scarce, in particular medical supplies, cooperation has been established with a number of public organizations and charitable foundations.
Every week for a month, the charity project Free Borsht Initiative distributes foot boxes with fresh vegetables and fruits to the families affected by the war in the Avangardivskyi TsNAP.
— Tell me, please, does the region help solve the problems that appear in this difficult time? Are any funds allocated for community residents?
Constant communication has been established with the Odesa regional and district military administrations.
A number of programs have been adopted in the Avangardivska hromada to support the residents, and funding from the local budget is foreseen.
In particular, the approved Programs provide for:
— provision of one-time monetary assistance to residents of the Avangard community who were mobilized for military service in accordance with the procedure established by Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 24/2022 of February 69, 2022 "On General Mobilization", or enrolled in the ranks of the military territorial defense - in the amount of 30 hryvnias for each (a total of 15 million hryvnias is provided for);
— provision of one-time financial assistance for treatment of mobilized and enlisted in the military — in the amount of up to UAH 100 each (a total of UAH 10 million is provided);
— provision of one-time monetary assistance to family members of mobilized and enlisted soldiers in the event of death/death of the latter during hostilities - UAH 100 each (a total of UAH 10 million is provided).
500 hryvnias is provided in the settlement budget for the provision of one-time financial assistance to displaced persons.
Also, UAH 8,55 million is earmarked for the Terrodefense Support Program. In particular, UAH 1 million is directed to the regional budget to support land defense. Military units stationed on the territory of the community are supported. Thanks to socially responsible entrepreneurs, 5 all-terrain vehicles were purchased and handed over to the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Recently, in order to support the Nemyshaiv Territorial Community of the Buchanskyi District, which suffered from the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, with the aim of restoring the infrastructure of the community, in particular the lighting and sewerage systems in the settlements of the community, the Avangardiv settlement council approved a corresponding program for the restoration of critical infrastructure facilities, financed expenditures in the amount of 500 hryvnias, materials and equipment (lamps, sewer manholes, etc.) were purchased, which were transferred in accordance with the current legislation to the Nemyshaiv settlement council, which will contribute to the return of residents to normal life.
— Currently, there are many volunteer organizations. Do you work with them and what kind of help do they provide?
We communicate and cooperate with a number of public and volunteer organizations.
On April 30, 2022, the "PLICH-O-PLICH" charity foundation, volunteer humanitarian headquarters "Odesa as it is" held an entertainment event with sweets, gifts and magical performances for children from IDP families. At the end, families with children received warm blankets as charitable assistance from UNICEF.
From the first days of the war, the patriotic residents of the Avangard community did not remain aloof.
On the basis of cultural centers, volunteer centers have been set up in all settlements of the community, where the collection of basic necessities for our soldiers and for evacuated people from territories where active hostilities are taking place is organized. Girls and women weave camouflage nets, which is extremely important for defenders. Seamstresses sew clothes for the military from day one.
In addition, from the first days of the Russian invasion, caring residents of the community organized real "culinary battalions", where skilled housewives prepare delicious dishes for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and territorial defense.
The team of volunteers also initiated a charity event in support of our defenders "The Code of the Nation unites the world for the victory of Ukraine".
Everyone who, following the call of their soul, creates wonderful products with their own hands (embroiders embroidered shirts, towels, weaves corals, necklaces, beadwork, paints pictures, etc.) can help our glorious soldiers and bring us all closer to victory over the Russian invaders. Residents send us self-made products, we place them on the Internet platform, organize sales and logistics, and send the received funds to accounts for charitable assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, individual military units, territorial defense.
The initiator of the "KaVoin" action is also the "Avangard Youth" volunteer team. Everyone can join it, because in any establishment where you see the "KaWarrior" sign, everyone can treat our defenders with fragrant coffee, buying and leaving it for the warrior, because a cheerful warrior is an alert warrior! Our defenders should feel care and support, simple human gratitude, wherever they are. Today, fragrant coffee is waiting for our defenders in several coffee shops and shops in Avangard, which they can enjoy for free.
— What do you plan to do now and what do you aspire to in the future?
Currently, the support of soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, territorial defense forces, community residents who need special attention and internally displaced persons is the most important!!! And everything that was planned to be repaired and built in 2022 — schools, kindergartens, dispensaries, sports complex, roads — we will still build! After the Great Victory of Ukraine!
So we found out how the Avangard OTG lives and what it does to bring our victory closer. Expect the continuation of the interview cycle soon.
