By Kontur and AFP | 2024-04-03

THE HAGUE -- Hundreds of Ukrainians have claimed for damages to their property as a result of Russia's invasion via a new mechanism launched April 2, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said, with officials expecting as many as 10 million requests overall.

The Register of Damages for Ukraine opened formally in The Hague during a conference bringing together senior ministers and officials from Ukraine, The Netherlands and European institutions.

As the conference closed, Kuleba said "hundreds" of claims had already been submitted to the register.

"It's a sign of how high the demand is but also a sign of how thirsty people are for justice," he said.

The initial launch focuses on claims of damage or destruction to residential property from the invasion. Between 300,000 and 600,000 claims are expected in this category.

"This is the first material step that is being made," Kuleba told reporters.

"It's extremely important that we met here today, not just to discuss how we will be bringing Russia to account but also launching a very specific procedure that every Ukrainian who has suffered can benefit from," he added.

Victims will later be able to file complaints in other categories such as "the death of a close relative, injuries, torture or sexual violence, involuntary displacement."

In addition, companies and the Ukrainian state will be able to submit claims for reparations for critical infrastructure and business losses due to the war.

'Walking the walk'

According to the register's website "as many as six to eight million claims, possibly up to 10 million" are expected via popular Ukrainian digital system Diia.

"This would be by far the most of any comparable reparation mechanism," says the register's website.

The launch took place at the "Restoring Justice for Ukraine" conference in The Hague, which aims to help Kyiv prosecute Russia for any crimes committed during the invasion.

"Let everyone who destroys peace be truly afraid of facing trial in The Hague," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an opening message.

"Every potential aggressor should know what awaits him," he added.

Kuleba said: "Today, Russian officials and leadership may feel secure, but every day on the battlefield, in the international arena, we make an effort to strip them of this feeling of security."

"We don't want them to feel safe, and facing the prospect of justice is also one of the deterrence instruments towards them," added the minister.

"If they know that delivering justice is not just talking the talk for us and our partners but also walking the walk, it will have an impact on the decisions they make."