Ukrainian families of war victims can now seek compensation through The Hague's Register of Damage
The International Register of Damage for Ukraine has begun accepting applications for compensation from families who lost close relatives due to Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine's Presidential Office announced on Jan. 16.
The application process for this category was delayed after a December 2024 cyberattack on Ukrainian state registers, according to a statement on the register's website.
The Hague-based Register of Damage was established under the auspices of the Council of Europe in accordance with a U.N. General Assembly resolution. It marked the first step toward creating a mechanism to ensure compensation for those who suffered from the war.
Claims can now be submitted for over 40 categories of harm, including deaths, torture, sexual violence, bodily harm, forced displacement, property loss, damage to infrastructure, harm to cultural and historical heritage, and environmental destruction.
Ukrainians can also provide evidence of damage to or destruction of their properties, including houses and apartments.
The World Bank estimates Ukraine's post-war recovery and reconstruction costs at $486 billion over a 10-year period. Meanwhile, approximately $300 billion of Russian Central Bank assets remain frozen in the West. The G7 nations pledged in October 2023 to keep these assets frozen until Moscow pays reparations to Ukraine.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
