This measure will help prevent the termination of payments starting January 1, 2026. Currently, Russian pensions and benefits in the new regions are issued based in part on disability documents provided by authorized bodies of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics, the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, as well as Ukraine.
Starting January 1, 2026, payments will continue based on disability status as determined by the Medical and Social Expertise (MSE) bodies in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.
Citizens who have already undergone certification under Russian law will continue receiving their assigned payments from January 1, 2026.
There is no need to personally submit MSE certification data to the Social Fund; the information will be automatically transmitted through digital systems.
It is worth recalling that the transitional period during which residents of the new regions may apply for payments using legacy disability documents lasts over 2.5 years, from March 2023 to December 2025. This mechanism was designed to ensure the gradual integration of the four regions into Russia's social support system. Demand for social assistance in these areas is high, and the government has implemented simplified procedures for processing payments. Starting in 2026, when the transitional period ends, all payments will be based on certification conducted under Russian law.