In first notable milestone, more than 10,000 claims have now been submitted to the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U) under the category of damage or destruction of residential housing. The Register, launched to serve as a record of all eligible claims for compensation for the widespread damage, loss and injury caused by the aggression of the Russian federation against Ukraine, serves as a key mechanism for individuals, businesses, and the State of Ukraine to seek reparation under international law.
Data on claims submitted to RD4U reflect the immense scale of the destruction caused by the war, with many homes and residential buildings completely destroyed or severely damaged.
Claims are submitted with respect to property in 621 cities, towns and villages across Ukraine, from 20 regions of Ukraine (19 Oblasts and the city of Kyiv). Claims from Donetsk Oblast (close to 35%) represent the biggest share, and Mariupol has most claims among Ukrainian cities – almost 1,150 claims.
1/3 of all claims related to damage incurred as a result of active combat. 27% claims result from artillery shelling, and another 20% - from aerial attacks by missiles, drones or aerial bombs. Close to 2% of all claims are from the consequences of destruction of Kakhovka HPP. In just under 1% of claims, claimants indicated that they do not know the cause of destruction. This is not an obstacle for submission of a claim to the Register.
65% claims are for damage or destruction of apartments, the rest – for various types of individual houses and other types of residential premises.
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On average, each claim is submitted with 6 additional files containing evidence – documents or photos. Not everyone has access to evidence. Close to 1,400 claimants submitted claims with no additional evidence files attached (but with data from various databases). External resources (including satellite imagery) will be used to assess such claims.
Even though indicating an amount of compensation claimed is not required, 99% of claimants chose to claim a specific amount. Average amount claimed is approximately 54,000EUR. It should be noted that the Register’s mandate does not include analysis of the value of claims. The amount of compensation due will be determined by a future Claims Commission.
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405 claimants have already received some compensation from Ukrainian Government under the e-Recovery program. Submitting a claim to RD4U does not affect one's eligibility or prospects for compensation under the e-Recovery program, and vice versa.
61% of claims submitted by women, 39% by men. Claimants’ age ranges from 18 to 94. 127 claimants are over 80 years old.
Claims can be submitted to RD4U in electronic format via the Diia web portal with more information here.
The Register began its operations with one critical category – damage or destruction of residential housing – and is preparing for the launch of 12 new categories of claims, including death and disappearance of immediate family members, involuntary internal displacement, destruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure, and additional categories related to damage and destruction of property.
All natural and legal persons as well as the State of Ukraine, including its regional and local authorities, and State-owned or controlled entities, will be able to submit claims to the Register under new categories of claims, provided that their claims comply with the eligibility criteria. In future, non-Ukrainian nationals will also be able to submit claims to the Register, including in English.
RD4U is an essential tool in ensuring that those affected by the Russian aggression can seek justice and compensation for their losses. As the number of claims continues to rise, the Register is working diligently to ensure that it is accessible to all those affected and will soon launch new categories.
