The government extended the Far Eastern mortgage to border defenders

The Russian government has expanded the circle of recipients of the preferential mortgage program "Far Eastern and Arctic Mortgages" to those who protected the country's border regions, as well as some medical workers. This was announced on April 21 by the press service of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation on its website.

According to the agency, citizens who participated in repelling the invasion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and suppressing provocations on the border and frontline territories will be able to apply for a housing loan on preferential terms. We are talking about 11 regions and municipalities.

"The list of such territories includes <...> the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions, Anapa, Novorossiysk and Gelendzhik, as well as the Temryuksky district of the Krasnodar Territory, Kantemirovsky and Rossoshansky districts of the Voronezh Region," the report says.

In addition, the program has been extended to employees of state and municipal hospitals who have a license to practice medicine. This applies even in cases where medical care is not the main activity of a citizen. In particular, the benefit will be available to employees of nursing homes and social protection departments, the ministry explains.

Alexey Yakovlev, Director of the Finance Ministry's Financial Policy Department, noted that the expansion of the program would allow more families to improve their living conditions. In addition, new qualified workers will arrive in the Far East and the Arctic regions.

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Alexander Yakubovsky, a member of the State Duma Committee on Construction and Housing and Communal Services, reported on February 6 that participants in a special military operation (SVO) and their family members are provided with a range of benefits when paying for utilities. Combat veterans are entitled to compensation of 50% of housing and communal services expenses, including contributions for major repairs, and are also exempt from bank fees.