At the height of the Russian occupation, in the summer of 2014, Donetsk history teacher Yuriy Matushchak secretly volunteered for Dnipro-1. Back then, in Dnipropetrovsk, where Yuriy had joined, there was a fine tradition: if you wanted to defend Ukraine's territorial integrity, insure your life and get a PrivatBank card that would deposit your salary as a soldier, or more precisely, as a private in the police force (around 4 hryvnias per month).
Before leaving for Ilovaisk, Yura sent his sister a message with his card number and social security number: "I love you all, if anything happens, here's my paycheck." A few days later, he was gone. For six months, he was listed as missing in action. Only on May 29th of last year was a plaque with his name placed on the unmarked soldier's grave with a numbered cross at the Krasnopolskoye Cemetery in Dnipropetrovsk. That fall, he was posthumously awarded the Order "For Courage," but much later, he was removed from the list of missing persons and officially declared dead.
Yura's family, like all political refugees from Donbas, is currently experiencing extreme hardship. In their homeland, these people retained not only memories of happy, peaceful days when everyone was alive, but also housing, property, jobs, and social connections. The crisis quickly devoured their savings for a rainy day. So, after some time, the father decided to withdraw money from his son's card. The bank confirmed that the card account existed, with 10 hryvnias in it—they would return it with all due respect, but they needed proof, including proof from their previous place of residence. "How will I get it back in the DPR?" the father asked, surprised. "Then we'll put it aside for better times," the bank explained.
Yuri's card could have been forgotten, but soon Matushchak Sr. began receiving threatening calls and messages from the credit service – reminding him of a forgotten (or perhaps non-existent) debt.
Matushchak Sr.’s financial situation does not allow him to pay it off, especially since the debt has grown… 42 times!
"The bank told me that in 2006, I took out a loan of 871 hryvnias and 20 kopecks, of which I repaid 400 hryvnias. The remaining 400 hryvnias of debt grew over the years to 17,000... I only learned about this 10 years later, from text messages that began arriving after I contacted the bank about my son's money. For clarification, I went to the nearest PrivatBank branch near where I now live (in Nemyriv). I asked to see the loan agreement, since in 2006 I had a normal job and a decent salary. I couldn't imagine how I could have borrowed such a sum. I asked for a recalculation of the debt. But the bank employees, as they say, 'played dumb': they took a photo of me and then handed me a piece of paper stating that there were no grounds for a recalculation," complains Vitaly Vladimirovich.
Coincidentally, the threatening text messages began arriving on February 15, 2016 – Yura's 29th birthday. That day, Donetsk National University (evacuated to Vinnytsia) was holding a memorial service for its remarkable graduate.
Yuri Matushchak graduated from the history department, was a trade union leader, and fought to have the university named after legendary alumnus Vasyl Stus. He organized hundreds of events to restore historical memory, dedicated to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and the Holodomor. Together with his colleagues, he organized festivals and invited Ukrainian writers to lecture in Donetsk. After university, he worked in Poland, participating in a large-scale historical study dedicated to the Volyn tragedy. From the first days of the Maidan, Yuri was at the epicenter of events, first at the barricades in the capital. And on March 13, 2014, when Ukrainian activists were killed in Donetsk's main square, Yuri was among the injured participants in the Maidan self-defense (pro-Russian militants killed three people and wounded around 40).
Only two student friends knew about his decision to go to the front.
"A highly educated man, the founder of one of the largest Ukrainian youth organizations, 'Poshtovkh,' which will soon celebrate its 10th anniversary. A man of his word, proud, determined, and very genuine. Two weeks before he left for Dnipro-1, we were discussing what to do, and I suggested we be patient, wait a little—I insisted that Yura and his friend not volunteer with minimal combat training. But I've met few people as motivated to fight for Ukraine as he was. And Yura did it his way. The next time I heard from him was on the phone, shortly before his death. He said everything was fine, although not as he had imagined. He was a little sad, talking about his girlfriend, whom he didn't want to upset. He spent only about a month at the front. 'Wind'—that was his call sign," one of his university friends told ORD.
"Simple and patriotic," a comrade from the battalion described Matushchak. "He could have left earlier, but he waited for orders. People like Yura are usually the first to die."
Yura died on August 29th, while breaking out of the Ilovaisk pocket. The "armor" he and his friend Max were retreating in took a direct hit. On the honorable word of a Russian officer, the soldiers breaking out were promised a "green corridor." Afterward, the column of volunteers was fired upon point-blank by Russian tanks.
The family was constantly given hope – Yura was allegedly seen in a hospital in the Donetsk region, in separatist-controlled territory, or he was unconscious in a hospital in Dnipropetrovsk region. The police and SBU kept hanging up on them, playing dumb, as if it was just a mundane matter.
In February 2015, the first DNA test results came back: a 99,9% match. And just recently… a second grave containing Yura's remains was discovered.
"Now we have two graves... One in Dnipropetrovsk, the other in Zaporizhia, and in both cases the DNA matched. We had an independent analysis conducted in Poland... Considering the circumstances of the deaths, this is entirely possible: the remains could have ended up in different graves, along with other soldiers," the father says.
Yura's family endured trials that didn't improve the health of their elderly parents. Because of "Poshtovkh," the name "Matushchak" was among the first on the "DPR" hit lists. When Yura went off to fight, his mother remained in her Donetsk apartment, where the Ukrainian Patriots' Organization was registered. So, it wasn't difficult for the bandits to find her and throw her in the basement (where she had endured torture).
Yura's parents live separately. The grief over the loss of their only son is immense. And each person experiences it differently. Vitaly Matushchak has lost sleep due to stress. He is an artist and paints in memory of his son. Yura's mother is huddled in a temporary trailer for displaced persons and volunteers as best she can (weaving protective netting for the army).
According to Vitaly Vladimirovich, the money on the deceased Yura's card could be used to rebury him, combining the two graves into one. But the bank refuses to cooperate, harassing his father.
Before the war, PrivatBank had acquired a notorious reputation. It's no coincidence that clients nicknamed it "Racketbank." Here's one case that's etched into journalistic memory. PrivatBank denied the family of 12-year-old Donetsk schoolboy Alyosha Golub an early withdrawal of their deposit. The boy had been diagnosed with early-stage blood cancer and needed the money for treatment. While the bank was reviewing the deposit refund request (approximately $6,000), a month and a half passed, and the boy died.
The war has improved PrivatBank's reputation—it has become "The Bank for Those Who Love Ukraine." But in this case, there's reason to doubt the integrity of the advertising...
We contacted lawyer Volga Sheiko for comment.
— How can I get a deceased relative's money from the bank?
— According to the general procedure for entering into an inheritance. Within six months of the death (or the date the person was declared dead), you must contact the notary closest to your address. In the application, indicate the estate, as the notary will verify its existence. Obtaining a certificate of inheritance for the money held in the bank will make it easy to retrieve. It is important to understand that the deceased's funds and your debts to the bank are different things. Bank employees will certainly connect the two, but they have no right to do so. Upon presentation of a certificate of inheritance for the money held in the bank, they are obligated to pay it.
— What should I do if my income doesn't allow me to pay off an old loan that has grown many times over?
Regarding the 2006 loan, we need to look into it specifically. Collection practices vary greatly. You need to look at the contract itself. The statute of limitations for filing collection claims may have expired. Calculating the amount isn't straightforward either. After all, penalties on loans were legally suspended due to the ATO. Of course, no one is exempt from paying the debt itself. Another issue is that there are now many scammers who issue loans and withdraw funds from pensioners' cards, or manipulate the passports of deceased people, especially those registered in Luhansk and Donetsk. Let me give you an example: I recently encountered a morgue requiring me to provide the deceased's passport and keep it, as it was supposedly needed for an autopsy. I immediately noticed that right next to the window in the morgue where they accept documents, there was a huge poster warning: be vigilant, make sure no one takes advantage of the deceased's passport and your grief. The Kyiv City State Administration has even created a hotline to address criminal activity by fraudsters.
If you're presented with a debt you're certain doesn't exist, don't give up. This could also be fraud. Contact law enforcement agencies and request that it be included in the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations (URDR). The bank will provide all the information upon request from the investigative authorities.
If the bank is reluctant to accommodate you and refuses to provide a loan agreement, submit a written request and record the incoming numbers on a second copy of the application. This is the only way you can prove later that you contacted a bank employee.
— Is the ATO considered a force majeure event that could affect changes in payment terms?
Unfortunately, even force majeure won't exempt you from paying the principal obligation. Simply put, you shouldn't count on it. However, there is a Cabinet of Ministers Resolution exempting you from paying penalties and loan accruals. Only a cooperative bank can save you from debt. You should seek debt restructuring or a payment deferment.
Are there any loan benefits or other concessions for the families of ATO veterans? Families whose defenders of the Motherland were killed? For internally displaced persons who suddenly found themselves in poverty?
— For internally displaced persons, starting April 14, 2014, the bank has no right to charge fines or penalties on the loan principal. However, many Privatbank contracts, which people signed without reading them, stipulate that if the debtor fails to repay on time, the bank has the right to increase the interest rate (although this is also illegal, and such a clause can be invalidated in court). So, here's the situation: the bank formally complies with the law, there are no fines or penalties (since the start of the ATO), but interest accrues, and it's increased. As for ATO veterans, benefits are provided for them, just as for the families of the deceased, but there are nuances.
Tatyana Zarovnaya, ORD
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