Komsomolskaya Pravda: "Vladimir Putin demands that veterans be treated with care"
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin took the treatment of a WWII veteran into his own hands, after the veteran had taken offence at officials and sent his war decorations to Moscow.
The request of an 87-year-old veteran Vasili Zasorin to get new housing was turned down, because his house in the settlement of Yelan-Koleno is larger than 11 square metres. In Voronezh, 11 square metre house or appartment is considered sufficient to refuse new housing to a war veteran. Zasorin was offended and sent his war decorations to Moscow.
Upon learning this, Vladimir Putin phoned Voronezh Region Governor Alexei Gordeyev and asked him to examine the situation very carefully. Gordeyev assured the prime minister that this case will be investigated by professionals. The prime minister's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that, in line with the results of the local commission's work, Gordeyev would present a detailed report to Vladimir Putin.
Peskov added that Vladimir Putin demanded of the governor that every single case concerning war veterans be examined on an individual basis and everything possible to eliminate the formal bureaucratic approach to war veterans must be done. This message has been addressed to all Russian regional heads. They must consider on an individual basis each case when war veterans are not provided with new housing.
By Larisa Kaftan
