Russian authorities are confiscating thousands of apartments from homeowners in occupied Mariupol who fled the city after the start of the full-scale invasion. This was reported by the BBC, writes UNN.
Details
A BBC Verify investigation has found that the Russian "administration" of Mariupol has recognized at least 5,700 homes in the city as suitable for seizure since July 2024.
Most of these apartments belonged to Ukrainians who fled or died during the 86-day siege of Mariupol in 2022. At that time, Human Rights Watch estimated that more than 8,000 people died from Russian bombing, although this figure is said to be "likely significantly underestimated."
According to documents analyzed by BBC Verify, in addition to the 2,200 apartments that are already being prepared for forced transfer to the ownership of the occupying administration, another 3,550 homes have been added to the list of potentially confiscated ones.
Russian officials are labeling such properties as "abandoned," claiming that they are not being used or do not have a legal owner, that is, they are not registered under Russian law.
Official documents posted on the website of the occupying administration show that the complex confiscation procedure begins after complaints from inspectors or local residents and eventually ends with the forced seizure of property.
According to the publication, in order to keep their property, Ukrainians would have to venture on a dangerous journey to the occupied city, undergo strict security checks, complex bureaucratic procedures and face pressure to obtain a Russian passport. This makes the return of housing to ownership almost impossible.