Chapter 5. Observing rights and freedoms of persons who suffered temporary occupation and armed conflict OBSERVING RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF PERSONS WHO SUFFERED TEMPORARY OCCUPATION AND ARMED CONFLICT 105 With regard to the armed conflict in the eastern part of the country and the occupation of part of the territory of Ukraine, the state was faced with the need to strategically plan activities to protect the rights of persons affected by the temporary occupation. Civilians suffer the most from the military aggression of the Russian Federation: they sustain injuries or other health impacts or die as a result of injuries while living/staying in the areas where hostilities are taking place; they go missing in unclear circumstances; they are illegally detained as a result of armed aggression against Ukraine; and they become internally displaced persons. Since the beginning of the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine, more than 3,000 civilians have been killed and more than 7,000 wounded, while about 4,500 civilians have gone missing and more than 1,400,000 have become internally displaced. 2019 848 reports from IDPs 88 visits to monitor IDP rights 13 monitoring visits to checkpoints Analysis of legislation in the field of social protection of civilians affected by armed conflict and systematic monitoring of their rights and freedoms has highlighted a number of issues, such as the lack of a clear legal definition of civilians affected by armed conflict meaning that many are not registered; social insecurity of persons illegally detained as a result of the armed aggression against Ukraine; violation of the rights and interests of family members of persons who have gone missing in unclear circumstances; and violation of the right to receive state-guaranteed social benefits, including pension benefits for internally displaced persons and civilians living in non-government-controlled areas. Lack of a clear legal definition and registration of civilians affected by an armed conflict The current legislation in place in Ukraine does not regulate the issue of social protection for civilian victims of armed conflict at the stage when they transition to peaceful life. Law of Ukraine 3551-XII “On the Status of War Veterans, Guarantees of Their Social Protection” of 22 October 1992 contains a provision that regulates the procedure for granting the status of a “person CHAPTER 5 5.1. Right of conflict-affected civilians to social protection