Webinar brings together victims’ representatives to learn about Register of Damages for Ukraine

On 5 June, EHRAC hosted a webinar in partnership with the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation Against Ukraine (RD4U). Speakers from the RD4U provided a comprehensive introduction to the Register, its mandate, and the categories already open for submissions. The three speakers answered questions from an audience that included representatives from Ukrainian civil society organisations (CSOs) and legal professionals supporting victims of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The speakers emphasised that their focus is on delivering a victim-oriented approach, and minimising the risk of re-traumatisation:

• it should be possible for those who have suffered loss and damage to submit a claim themselves, without the support of a lawyer
• This is not a judicial mechanism, and it is not necessary to provide the same level of detail or evidence as when making a claim through a court. Claimants can upload basic documentation, or even just a written description of their losses, to support their claim
• All claims must currently be submitted through the online portal, but the Register is actively developing additional ways to submit a claim. The aim is to ensure that all victims can participate.

The Register’s mandate relates to the crime of aggression. Claims are therefore limited to loss and damage suffered as a consequence of the international, unlawful actions of the Russian Federation since the full-scale invasion, which began on 24 February 2022.

It is currently possible to submit claims in ten categories. The RD4U aims to have all 43 categories open for submissions by the end of 2025. It is possible to submit claims in more than one category.

CSOs were encouraged to engage through the Register’s Co-ordination Platform. This will make it possible for RD4U staff to better understand the support being provided by CSOs, identify any under-served communities, and improve its own outreach. Registering with this platform will also enable CSOs to contribute to ongoing developments.

Next steps include the establishment of a claims commission, which will assess the merits of submitted claims, and award appropriate compensation. A third mechanism will then be responsible for securing funds to finance the reparations awarded.  – The primary source of these funds will be frozen Russian assets.

For more information and to access open categories of claims, visit the official RD4U website: https://rd4u.coe.int/en

Thank you to our three speakers from the RD4U:

• Igor Karaman, Legal Advisor
• Ganna Khrystova, Head of the Kyiv Office
• Iryna Kiryeyeva, Representative for Co-operation with Ukraine

We are grateful to everyone who joined this webinar for their active engagement and positive feedback.