Draft bill #11161 of April 10, 2024 

Status: awaits to be signed by the President 

Who is affected: people whose property was damaged or destroyed because of the Russian aggression; the Ministry for Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure Development 

Summary: 

  • people whose housing located in territories temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation or combat zones was destroyed or damaged will be able to apply for compensation 
  • damaged property in temporarily occupied territories will be equated to destroyed property. Such territories will have to be on the list compiled by the ministry responsible for developing and implementing state policy regarding temporarily occupied territories 
  • compensation for destroyed property in temporarily occupied territories will be granted if the applicant has resided in Ukraine for the last two years before applying. This will include: 
  • residing within the state borders of Ukraine 
  • being aboard a vessel sailing under the flag of Ukraine 
  • being a Ukrainian citizen on official business abroad, at Ukrainian diplomatic missions, international organizations, or their branches 
  • being at a Ukrainian polar station 
  • serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine stationed outside Ukraine 
  • a one-time trip abroad for personal matters (up to 90 days), and overall being outside Ukraine for up to 183 days per year during the last two years 
  • leaving Ukraine for official business, study, vacation, or medical treatment recommended by a recognized medical institution, as well as residing abroad as a refugee due to Russian aggression, will not violate the residence requirement 
  • after receiving the application, a commission will decide on the feasibility of the property inspection 
  • people seeking compensation for housing in temporarily occupied territories will renounce ownership rights in favor of the state and cede to the state (if compensation is from the government budget) or to the community (if compensation comes from the local budget) the right to claim damages from Russia for the destroyed property up to the amount of compensation received 
  • the bill clarifies that information about the composition of the commission that addresses compensation matters, as well as its address, contacts, and working hours, will be found on the official websites of local authorities: executive authorities or military/civil-military administrations 
  • the applicant will be able to withdraw their application for compensation for damaged or destroyed property. The commission will issue a decision on the withdrawal, which will be then approved by the executive body of the local council, military administration, or civil-military administration 
  • at the request of owners of damaged or destroyed property, extracts from the specialized register will be provided in electronic (via Diia) and paper formats 
  • the law will come into effect four months after publication. 

What is right: 

  • people who lived in current combat zones or temporarily occupied territories will be eligible to receive compensation 
  • the bill will make it easier to find information about the composition, location, working hours, and contacts of the commissions handling compensation issues 
  • applicants will be able to obtain extracts from the Register of Damaged and Destroyed Property. 

Background information: on March 17, 2023, the President signed a law on compensation for damaged and destroyed housing. More details on its shortcomings can be found here. On May 10, 2023, the procedure for providing compensation for damaged housing via the e-Restoration service started. 

Additional information: 

  • Ok, So What? podcast, ep.139: What’s new about housing compensation? 
  • article by Oleh Savychuk: Post-war reconstruction of communities and compensations: how it will work and why local authorities will remain silent