The International Registry of Damages caused by Russian aggression has received approximately 27,500 claims in various categories.

Source: "European Truth" referencing DW

According to the Executive Director of the Registry, Markiyan Klyuchkovsky, "As of today, around 27,500 claims have been submitted across different categories. The most significant category pertains to the destruction of housing, which has been open for the longest time. We allow claimants to assess the extent of their losses, and the average claim in this category is about 60,000 to 62,000 euros."

Details: The total value of damages recorded in these claims amounts to approximately one billion euros.

At the same time, Klyuchkovsky added that claimants in non-material categories are not asked to evaluate their losses.

"We understand that the loss of life or missing persons cannot be quantified. The assessment of how to determine compensation in such claims will be handled by a future compensation commission," he noted.

He emphasized that no payments have yet been made on the claims due to the absence of a compensation mechanism. Klyuchkovsky refrains from predicting when these payments might begin but believes they should occur in the foreseeable future.

"We're talking about years, not months. We hope it won’t take 10 years but rather 1, 2, 3, or maybe 5 years," he said.

He believes much depends on the political and geopolitical landscape.

Klyuchkovsky also mentioned that next week in The Hague, the second round of formal negotiations regarding the establishment of the compensation mechanism will take place.

"The roadmap for this process aims for an agreement to be finalized by the end of next year. After that, we will wait for ratification and hope it will come into force in 2026, allowing the commission to commence its work," he concluded.

Background:

• The Agreement on the Registry of Damages caused by Russian aggression was adopted in May 2023 at the Council of Europe summit in Iceland. Markiyan Klyuchkovsky was appointed as the Executive Director of the Registry based in The Hague.
• The Registry is the first step towards establishing a mechanism for compensating those affected by the war. It has been joined by 43 states and the European Union.
• Previously, claims regarding the death of a close family member, missing persons, and damage or destruction of residential property could be submitted to the RD4U.