Putin signed a law on the seizure of housing in occupied regions

The occupation authorities in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions received the right to seize the housing of people who fled the war. The law, approved by the State Duma on November 19, was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 15.

According to the law, “residential houses, apartments and rooms that have signs of ownerless property” will be recognized as the property of regions or their municipalities.

The criteria for “ownership” will be determined by the occupation administrations themselves in agreement with Rosreestr and Rosimushchestvo. The lack of information about the owner or the inability to identify him using available documents will not be an obstacle to seizure.

The law provides for various options for using confiscated property. It can be transferred to Russian citizens living in the occupied territories and who have lost their housing “due to hostilities, sabotage, terrorist attacks or acts of aggression against the Russian Federation.”

Seized objects can be allocated as official housing for civil servants, military personnel, officials, law enforcement officers, teachers and doctors.

The law talks about compensation that former property owners who have lost their title may be entitled to. However, we are talking only about those who have received Russian citizenship.