Deprivation of liberty: RD4U claims and Ukrainian support

When A2.6 applies

This means detention, imprisonment or placement in a public or private custodial setting that the person cannot leave at will. It must have occurred on or after 24 February 2022 as a result of Russia’s internationally wrongful acts and acts of persons under its control. It covers Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, including occupied territory and territorial waters; deprivation of liberty abroad can also qualify if directly linked to an event in Ukraine. ^{[1] [2]}

Prisoners of war may also submit A2.6. Serious personal injury is not required to claim for deprivation of liberty itself. Entry in Ukraine’s register of persons deprived of liberty is not a prerequisite; refusal by the Ukrainian Commission or assistance already received from the state or charities does not by itself prevent an RD4U claim. Provide accurate information about such decisions and assistance where the form asks for it. ^{[2] [1]}

What the claim can cover

A2.6 covers the mental pain and anguish caused by deprivation of liberty. You do not need your own or an expert’s valuation of that suffering. Serious personal injury resulting from the deprivation of liberty can be claimed here or under A2.3. If included in A2.6, also identify expenses you incurred directly because of the injury, including treatment and rehabilitation, with evidence of the amounts. ^{[1] [2]}

Sexual violence, torture or inhuman or degrading treatment, forced labour and forcible transfer have separate categories. Lost income and other financial consequences also belong in their relevant categories. The current Diia questionnaire lets you select several categories within A2.3–A2.7. Distinguish the different harms; do not claim the same injury twice. ^{[1] [3] [4]}

Prepare the facts and available evidence

Record the dates and duration of captivity, locations, known circumstances of detention and release, and why they are linked to Russian aggression. Add available certificates, Commission decisions, official notices, witness statements or other materials. Not having a captivity certificate does not itself prohibit submission. Do not invent exact dates or circumstances you do not know: explain the limits of the information available to you. ^{[1] [3] [2]}

For serious personal injury, prepare medical records, reports and treatment documents. A forensic examination can be evidence, but it is not the only permitted document. A domestic classification as an injury of medium severity does not itself exclude a claim: RD4U uses its own definition of serious injury. Keep invoices and proof of payment for the expenses claimed. ^{[2] [1] [4]}

Submitting personally or for a child

Open the official A2.6 service in Diia, sign in with an electronic signature, complete the questionnaire and selected categories, check the information and sign the claim. As of 16 September 2026, personal submission is available from age 18, or from 16 with proven full civil capacity. Parents may submit for a minor child if the relationship can be verified in the civil status register. This is the representation route described by the service; it does not mean that every other representative route is already available. ^{[3] [5]}

Ukraine’s separate procedure following captivity

For state support under Law No. 2010-IX, the fact of deprivation of personal liberty due to armed aggression against Ukraine must first be established. The law covers specified categories of defenders, including foreign nationals and stateless persons who, when deprived of liberty, lawfully served in Ukraine’s Armed Forces or other military formations established under Ukrainian law. For Ukrainian civilians, Article 2 requires deprivation of liberty while in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory or the aggressor state’s territory. It also requires the prescribed link to persecution for supporting Ukraine or relevant professional or civic activity, or to holding the person to compel third parties to act or refrain from acting as a condition of release. Statutory exclusions apply to convictions for specified offences. These national status conditions differ from A2.6. ^{[6] [7]}

The application to the Commission may be made by the person, their legal representative, a family member or that family member’s legal representative. Use the current form linked in the ministry’s official instructions. Include identity and citizenship documents; for military personnel, a captivity certificate from the competent authority; for civilians, evidence of the circumstances required by the law; and, where available, an extract from the criminal investigation register and other official notices. A relative must also document the family relationship. A military captivity certificate can be requested from the military unit or unit commander. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

The ministry’s official instructions provide electronic forms and a postal route: 14 Beresteiskyi Avenue, Kyiv, 01135. Keep a copy and proof of sending. A Commission decision supports subsequent applications for the relevant state assistance; it is not itself an RD4U claim. A refusal can be challenged in court; legal advice can help assess the decision and prepare the challenge. ^{[8] [6] [7]}

A safe next step

For help choosing a claim or restoring documents, contact Ukraine’s free legal aid system on 0 800 213 103, weekdays 08:00–18:00 Kyiv time. At first contact, you can begin with the type of question and agree a safe communication channel. Keep medical records, children’s details and witnesses’ contacts out of public posts. Recording an RD4U claim preserves the claim and evidence; it does not award compensation or set a payment date. ^{[9] [1]}