Sergey Kolunov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Construction and Housing and Communal Services, has confirmed that participants of the special military operation, including individuals who have signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, along with military personnel tasked with guarding border areas, and their family members, are entitled to pay for utility services in installments.
Kolunov elaborated that this benefit is available to both mobilized and contract service members who are performing combat missions in the Special Military Operation (SMO) zone or protecting the borders in regions adjacent to it. Furthermore, their immediate relatives living with them—such as spouses, children, parents, and other recognized family members—also possess the right to enter into an agreement for deferred utility payments.
The parliamentarian specified that for these eligible categories, whether they are property owners or tenants, obtaining an installment plan requires submitting a formal application to their respective managing or resource-supplying organization. He added that the application must be accompanied by documents that not only verify the identity of the applicant but also substantiate the grounds for their request.
“These categories of citizens are also permitted to pay off any existing utility debts in installments by submitting a similar application to their management company or resource supplier,” Kolunov concluded. He also reminded that “penalties for delayed or incomplete payment of utility services are not levied on these citizens.”
