 At first, Ukraine only gave benefits posthumously to family members as there was no legal framework to account for the veterans, moreover, members of territorial defense battalions were not eligible for benefits at all.In August, a law was passed granting all service members participating in Ukraine's Anti-Terror Operation the status of veterans, five months after first hostilities broke out in Crimea, the territorial defense battalions were integrated into the National Guard making them part of Ukraine's forces, thus allowing their volunteers to receive veteran status.Veterans of the so-called "ATO"-operations in Donbas are eligible for receiving apartments (if staying in active duty) or a land plot for building purposes of 1000 sqm.