Key points
- The International Register of Damage advises against submitting claims from occupied territories due to security risks.
- There is no simplified procedure for residents of temporarily occupied territories; applications can only be submitted after relocation.
- Russia has recognised the Registry as an undesirable organisation, which complicates the security of submitting applications.
- There are examples of claims for property damage being accepted, but it is safer to submit them in controlled territory.
- The register of damages is part of an international mechanism for compensating losses caused by Russian aggression.
The International Register of Damage for Ukraine does not recommend submitting claims for compensation for damage from temporarily occupied territories, as this may pose a threat to the safety of applicants. During a webinar on the application process, Anna Khristova, head of the Registry’s Kyiv office, explained that there is no simplified or separate mechanism for people in temporarily occupied territories. It is currently safer to submit documents after moving to territory controlled by the Ukrainian government.
According to Khristova, the safety of victims is a key component of the Registry’s approach. In January 2025, Russia recognised the Registry as an undesirable organisation, which creates legal consequences and potential risks for people who can be identified when submitting an application on the website.
The Registry noted that claims for damage to property or housing in the occupied territories can still be submitted, but it is better to do so after moving to territory controlled by Ukraine. There are already examples of such claims being accepted in cases related to Bakhmut, in particular.
The International Damage Registry was created to record and compensate for damage caused by the war, starting with Russia’s full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. The mechanism operates on the basis of international cooperation, including Ukraine, the European Union and more than forty other countries, and is the first step in establishing an international compensation mechanism.
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