Putin allows seizure of Ukrainian housing in occupied territories until 2030
On December 15, dictator Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing occupation administrations in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions to seize housing of Ukrainians who have left these territories until 2030.
According to the law, residential houses, apartments, and rooms on occupied territories that are deemed “ownerless property” can be declared the property of the regions or municipalities under their control.
The criteria for so-called “ownerlessness” will be determined by the occupation administrations in coordination with Russian authorities—Rosreestr and Rosimushchestvo. The absence of information about the owner, or the inability to identify them through existing documents, will not prevent the seizure of housing.
The law outlines several possible uses for the confiscated property. It may be transferred to Russian citizens living in the occupied territories who lost their housing “due to hostilities, sabotage, terrorism, or acts of aggression against Russia.” Confiscated property may also be used as official housing for civil servants, military personnel, officials, law enforcement officers, teachers, and doctors.
Meanwhile, Russian occupiers are initiating a new wave of militarization of children in temporarily occupied territories, lowering the age for taking the military oath to 14.
The Kremlin is reportedly hesitant to announce a mass mobilization.
