More than 31,000 claims filed with Ukraine’s Register of Damages, but the true scale remains understated

Roughly 31,000 claims have been submitted to the Register of Damages for Ukraine to date, but the figure falls far short of reflecting the actual scope of violations committed by russia, according to Mykhailo Kameniev, Senior Project Specialist of the Kyiv Office of the Register of Damages for Ukraine. 

Speaking at a briefing, Kameniev noted that while tens of thousands of claims have already been recorded, they likely represent only a fraction of the real number of victims.

“When it comes to understanding the extent of the violations, the registry currently holds 31,000 applications. However, considering the magnitude of the crimes and the estimated number of affected individuals, we expect that number to rise significantly,” Kameniev said.

He stressed that in order for the Register to effectively serve its purpose, a greater volume of submissions is essential.

“To continue promoting the Register in a meaningful way, we need to focus on collecting far more applications. The higher the number of entries, the harder it becomes to downplay the Register’s significance, or to ignore the broader issues of reparations and compensation for victims,” he explained.

Kameniev also underscored the influence a high volume of submissions could have on the global conversation about reparations.

“If the Register contains hundreds of thousands of applications, it will be perceived very differently at the international level. Even discussions about expanding the Registry’s mandate take on a new dimension when you’re dealing with hundreds of thousands of documented cases, as opposed to 31,000. That scale would clearly demonstrate the extent of the violations and show how widely information about the Register is spreading,” he added.

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