How russia Seizes Ukrainians’ Homes on the Temporarily Occupied Territories and What People Can Do to Protect Their Rights: EAST SOS Senior Lawyer Anatolii Kolesnikov Explains for Deutsche Welle’s Ukrainian Service

By July 1, 2026, the russian occupation authorities are forcing property owners in the temporarily occupied territories to re-register their homes under russian law. In practice, this means they must appear in person where the property is located and hold a russian passport.

EAST SOS Senior Lawyer Anatolii Kolesnikov believes that russia is using this requirement to pressure Ukrainian citizens into taking russian passports, identify those who are not loyal to the occupation regime, and seize their property. In a comment for Deutsche Welle’s Ukrainian Service, he explained what people can do and whether there are still ways to protect their rights. Here are the main points.

The lawyer emphasizes that russia’s demands violate both Ukrainian and international law:

“The 1907 Hague Convention respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land prohibits the confiscation of private property and guarantees its inviolability. The Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War also prohibits the mass seizure of property when it is not justified by military necessity.”

russia started seizing Ukrainians’ homes in the temporarily occupied territories back in 2014. In 2025, they went further and legalized, at the federal level, the transfer of so-called “ownerless” property to russian citizens.

According to Deutsche Welle, there were no clear criteria defining “ownerless” property. To avoid having their homes declared abandoned, many Ukrainians with property in the temporarily occupied territories continued paying utility bills and asked friends to check on their homes. Right now, the only way to officially remove a property from the list is to re-register it in the russian property registry. Ukrainian property documents will be accepted only until July 1, 2026, and only in person at the location of the property.

Anatolii Kolesnikov also emphasizes that under Ukrainian law, obtaining a russian passport to preserve life, protect property, or ensure personal and family safety is not considered collaboration. However, human rights defenders generally warn against traveling to temporarily occupied territories, as it is impossible to anticipate what russian authorities might do during or after border crossings.

To protect your rights, Kolesnikov recommends confirming that all property documents are complete and up to date.

“Any property in the occupied territories should be registered in the State Register of Property Rights of Ukraine,” Kolesnikov notes.

He also advises documenting everything related to your property: monitor messages on social media, follow occupation administration websites, or ask neighbors in the occupied territories. If it becomes clear that property has been declared “ownerless,” a claim should be filed with Ukrainian law enforcement under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which establishes liability for violations of the rules and customs of war.

The EAST SOS lawyer also notes that Ukrainian courts are issuing rulings to recover damages caused by russia to citizens and businesses, but enforcing these rulings is difficult because russia refuses to accept court notifications.

What else can you do right now?

Human rights defenders advise homeowners in the temporarily occupied territories to submit claims to the International Registry of Losses for Ukraine under the category of compensation for temporary loss of access to property. While the exact amount and timing of compensation are not yet known, submitting a claim is an important step toward establishing justice in the future.

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In February, EAST SOS helped prepare proposals for the Ukrainian Parliament committee on pension payments for displaced people.