REUTERS

Russia spends some $1.3 billion on salaries alone as part of maintaining occupation regimes on the territory of Luhansk and Donetsk regions in eastern Ukraine, says Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov.

"At 62-63%, budgets of the two entities [the so-called 'DPR' and 'LPR'] are financed by the Russian Federation because they collect 37-38% of their taxes and fees, and this figure decreases every year. Previously, they had 40%," Reznikov told a briefing on Thursday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

Read alsoUkraine inviting IDPs to Minsk talks – Zelensky's Office chief

Видео дня

"They receive their salaries from the Russian budget. According to various sources, it's $1.3 billion in financing salaries alone," Reznikov said.

As UNIAN reported, from May 14, internally displaced persons from Donbas will be part of Ukraine's delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas settlement.