Russia is expropriating plots of land in annexed Crimea owned by foreigners, RIA Novosti reported today, quoted by DPA.
A presidential decree barred foreign nationals from owning land in most parts of the Crimean peninsula, which was occupied and annexed by Russia in 2014. The nationalized plots are mainly in coastal areas such as Yalta, Kerch and Sudak.
According to the authorities, the owners are mainly from Ukraine, but also from Germany, Australia and Israel.
Putin’s new decree was preceded by another decree that came into force a year ago. Then the owners of about 11,500 properties were given up to a year to either sell them to Russian citizens or companies, or to instruct the Russian state to make the sale.
In the second case, the money was promised to be transferred to the old owners.
The owners complained that travel restrictions in the pandemic made it difficult for them to comply with last year’s decree. The Ukrainian government has said it will take legal action in international courts. Russia justifies the measure for security reasons.
In a small part of the territory of Crimea, the right of foreigners to own land and apartments is preserved.
The international community continues to consider the Crimean peninsula an integral part of Ukraine. The EU, the US and other countries have imposed sanctions on individuals and legal entities from Russia for the annexation, reminded DPA.
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