Firefighters are clearing the rubble of a high-rise building in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, where a Russian missile struck on August 28, 2025. Because of overnight and morning attacks that day, 23 people were killed in the capital. Suspilne News / Oleksandr Mahula
According to a BBC News report
After the end of World War I, Germany was forced to pay reparations, which were estimated at 269 billion gold marks in total, and this process lasted about ninety years. In the course of subsequent events, Nazi Germany started a new war, suffered defeat, and pledged to compensate new damages.
“The payments of reparations by Germany for World War I and World War II can be described as classical forms of this. It was recognized as the defeated party and signed the capitulation. And it paid what was awarded – either in cash after World War I, or in goods, production, or technologies after World War II”
The modern situation does not allow a direct transfer of historical experience to the Russian-Ukrainian war: the conflict continues, and international law is still shaping its rules. However, in November 2022 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that launched an international mechanism to compensate Ukraine for the damages.
In 2023, the first stage of this mechanism – the Damage Registry – was launched. On September 9, according to reports, the final round of negotiations on the principles of its operation began.
From spring 2024, every Ukrainian who believes that Russia should pay compensation for the damage caused during the war can submit an application through the Diia portal. In this article we answer the main questions about the Damage Registry and explain why it is important to apply even if Russia is not obliged to pay immediately.
What is the Damage Registry?
The Damage Registry, established for damages caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine (RD4U), appeared in 2023 under the auspices of the Council of Europe. It has an approved charter, mandate, functions and governance structure. Currently the Registry is supported by 45 countries, and recently Australia joined it. Its main goal is to record damages from Russia’s actions during the full-scale war. Essentially, it is a system for recording victims’ claims.
The Registry’s site emphasizes that it is not a court, tribunal, compensation commission, or fund. Its administration will not review or evaluate damages or award payments – but will forward applications and evidence to a compensation commission, which has yet to be created. The commission will examine them, classify them, and make decisions about the sums in each case.
How do you know if you are eligible for compensation from the Russian Federation? If you have suffered damage and have clearly documented it, you should file an application. Compensations are provided under three conditions: first, the damages occurred after February 24, 2022; second, this occurred within internationally recognized borders of Ukraine; third, the damages were caused by unlawful actions of the Russian Federation.
The Registry operates by categories, and by the end of the year it is planned to open all 45 categories for private individuals and businesses. Currently 11 categories are open, of which only for private individuals. Among them: forced internal displacement; death of a close person; disappearance; serious bodily injuries; sexual violence; torture or inhumane treatment; deprivation of liberty; forced labor; damage or destruction of residential property; damage or destruction of non-residential property; lost access to property in the occupied territories.
According to authorities, Ukrainians have already filed almost 54 thousand applications for compensation. RD4U’s Executive Director Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi said that about 220 applications are received daily through Diia, and activity is increasing – particularly in the housing damage and displacement categories.
“There is also a large category ‘forced internal displacement,’ and many more applications come from those who have lost relatives due to death or disappearance. And the category concerning loss of access to property in the occupied territory is quite popular. We clearly see a trend that people find it easier to formulate their statements when it comes to property than to personal experiences, especially difficult ones”
How to file an application? The only official channel now is through the Diia app. In the mobile app, go to the Services section and select “Damage Reimbursement.” In the web version of Diia, find the category “Reparations: International Damage Registry” in the services catalog. Then sign in, choose a category, and fill in the details of the damage, attaching the required documents. You can submit an application under several relevant categories at the same time.
According to Stanislava Artyomova, head of the public organization Art of Aid, which provides legal consultations on submitting claims to the Registry, it is important not to delay seeking help and to describe events in detail: “For example, when through ‘eRecovery’ they record damaged real estate in the occupied territories, people should avoid refusing it. In case of de-occupation they will still be able to receive compensation for this property.”
If you do not have access to Diia, RD4U plans to expand filing through TsNAPs. Currently work is underway to advise TsNAP staff, and later it will be possible to submit through these centers. If you need help, you can contact Free Legal Aid at 0-800-213-103.
“So far the consensus among all over 50 states taking part in the process is simple and firm. The source of compensation is the Russian Federation. It is the Russian Federation that must compensate for the damage caused by its war”
Regarding expectations for amounts and payment timing: there are no specific figures yet. RD4U was launched as the first step, and the assessment of sums will be handled by specialized bodies in the future. It is expected that, in the future, category-based scales and fixed sums will be used, but the final principles will be determined by the compensation commission.
In conclusion, it is worth noting: even in the absence of immediate payments, filing claims matters – it documents damages, creates a war archive, and helps Ukraine in the future to recover losses and rebuild the country after victory.
Read also:
- Final negotiations in The Hague begin for Ukraine’s compensation mechanism to address damages caused by Russian aggression, involving 56 countries and EU representatives.
- Ukrainians have submitted nearly 54,000 claims to the international Damage Registry for losses caused by Russian aggression, with plans to expand categories and establish a Compensation Commission by the end of 2025.
- Over 27,500 damage claims have been registered in Ukraine’s International Damage Registry due to Russian aggression, with plans to expand claim categories from 10 to 45. Citizens can submit claims via the Diia portal using an electronic signature.
