Russian authorities are systematically confiscating Ukrainians’ private property in occupied territories, in violation of international law, according to a new report published by the human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) on May 26.

According to HRW, occupation authorities classify property belonging to displaced Ukrainians as “ownerless” and transfer it into municipal ownership. In practice, retaining ownership requires obtaining russian citizenship and appearing in person to re-register property in russian registries.

From March 2024 to January 2026, around 8,000 court cases involving property confiscation were initiated in occupied territories. An analysis of more than 300 rulings found that courts transferred property to municipal authorities even when owners were known, utility bills had been paid, and relatives or tenants were living in the apartments. The main basis for confiscation was the lack of re-registration in the russian real estate registry.

According to the United Nations, as of November 2025, occupation authorities had declared more than 38,000 properties “potentially ownerless,” while 5,557 had already been officially transferred into municipal ownership. Russian authorities also reported identifying 550,000 properties lacking ownership documents that could become subject to confiscation.

Confiscated housing in Mariupol is already being allocated to new residents, mostly russian citizens, with authorities encouraging relocation through media campaigns and preferential mortgage programs. Under international law, transferring a state’s own civilian population into occupied territory is also considered a war crime.

In December 2025, russia shortened the deadline for property re-registration from January 2028 to July 2026. At the same time, amendments to legislation concerning “unfriendly foreign states” effectively made it impossible for Ukrainian owners to act through legal representatives.

HRW called on russia to stop the illegal confiscation of property and lift restrictions on Ukrainians entering occupied territories. The organization also urged the EU and the Council of Europe to provide compensation to victims through the Register of Damage for Ukraine and the future Compensation Commission for Ukraine.