Cremation in Ukraine: how much does the service cost and is it in demand among Ukrainians?
Kyiv • UNN
In Ukraine, cremation is gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional burial, due to its environmental friendliness and lack of space. In Kyiv, 80% of burials are carried out by cremation, the cost of which starts from 3 thousand hryvnias.
More and more Ukrainians are choosing cremation as an alternative to traditional burial, as the advantages of cremation include environmental friendliness, as well as a lack of burial places. Marina Lazurenko, President of the Funeral Association in Ukraine, told UNN that in recent years, the number of cremations in Kyiv has reached 80%, which is due to the absence of open cemeteries and a lack of land for burial.
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More and more Ukrainians are choosing cremation as an alternative to traditional burial. Cremation is the burning of the deceased's body along with the coffin. The ashes collected after cremation are placed in an urn and most often buried in the ground, placed in a columbarium niche, or taken home.
The advantages of cremation include environmental friendliness. That is, the absence of a threat to the health and life of the population from the cemetery, an improvement in the overall environmental situation, and a reduction in sanitary and environmental tension.
As Lazurenko said, there are currently 3 crematoria of communal ownership operating in Ukraine:
- in Kyiv (next to Baikove Cemetery. Baikova St., 16);
- in Kharkiv (Zhykhar village);
- in Odesa (Tairova St., 1).
Lazurenko noted that the cost of cremation services is fixed.
For example, in Kyiv, the cost of cremation starts from 3 thousand hryvnias to 12 thousand hryvnias. The smallest package includes: consultation, cremation, provision of a hall, a ritual envelope, an identification mark.
The package, which costs 12 thousand hryvnias, includes: consultation, a funeral agent's visit, cremation, an inscription on the urn, loader services, delivery of the body to the morgue, morgue services.
The cost of cremation in Kharkiv is already more expensive. For example, the minimum cost of cremation starts from 12 thousand hryvnias. Services include: cremation services, urn, church set, transportation of the body to the crematorium, etc.
Prices in Odesa are slightly lower than in Kharkiv, but not by much - the average cost of cremation is 10 thousand hryvnias.
In recent years, the number of cremations in Kyiv has reached 80%, having significantly increased in recent years. This is due to the absence of open cemeteries and a lack of land for burial.
It should be noted that the following types of burial of the deceased exist in Ukraine:
- burial of the coffin with the body of the deceased in a grave;
- burning of the coffin with the body of the deceased in a crematorium and burial in a grave or placement in a columbarium niche of an urn with the ashes of the deceased;
- scattering of the ashes of the deceased.
Taking into account ethnic, religious or cultural traditions, the burial of the deceased may be carried out in another way.
According to the government decree, burial by cremation is carried out in accordance with the will of the deceased, expressed orally or in writing, or at the request of the relatives of the deceased.
Cremation is performed no earlier than 24 hours after death. This period may be reduced if the corpse was subject to forensic medical examination, which should be noted in the medical death certificate.
Cremation is possible only with a number of documents. Namely:
- death certificate;
- stub of the medical certificate of the cause of death;
- customer's passport;
- prosecutor's permission in case of violent death or road accident.