Ukrainian Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons Vadym Chernysh says that it is not yet possible to pay pensions to Ukrainians living in Russia-occupied districts in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

"This is impossible. There are no banks [there]. Banks cannot be reopened. Security cannot be ensured. It is impossible to ensure anti-money laundering requirements. Therefore, there is only one scheme. Like now, they can receive pensions on cards issued by Oschadbank of Ukraine," he told RFE/RL's Donbas.Realii project on Wednesday.

The payment of pensions to residents in the occupied districts is connected not only with the banking system, but also with the payment of taxes, he said.

"The Pension Fund cannot be filled from nowhere. You know that companies [in the occupied districts] that had paid taxes until the last moment were seized [by the occupying administrations]... The enterprises that worked there until the last day paid taxes to the budget of Ukraine," the minister added.