Russian President Vladimir Putin's ban on land ownership in the occupied Crimea by non-Russian citizens, including Ukrainian nationals, has come into force today, March 20.
Read alsoRussia calls Ukrainians in Crimea "foreigners", treads on land ownership rightsUkrainian citizens owned over 11,000 land plots there as of April 2020.
According to the Russian president's decree, restrictions were introduced in 19 out of 25 municipalities in Crimea, in particular, in the cities of Yevpatoriya, Kerch, Yalta, and Sudak.
Land plots in the city of Simferopol, the towns of Dzhankoi and Krasnoperekopsk (Yana Kapu), as well as Bilohirsk, Krasnohvardiiske, and Pervomaiske regions are not subject to the ban.
If Ukrainian citizens did not transfer the rights to the land within the established timeframe, the occupying authorities will seize such property based on court rulings and transfer the funds received from sales of such land to the state or municipal authorities.
Background
- On March 20, 2020, Putin, by his decree, expanded the list of territories where foreigners are not allowed to own land. The list includes most of the areas in Russia-occupied Crimea.
- The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Ukraine would appeal to international courts over Russia's ban on Ukrainians' ownership of land on the peninsula, which was seized by Russia from Ukraine in March 2014.
- The European Union said Russian President Vladimir Putin's order banning non-Russian citizens from owning land in Russia-occupied Crimea violates international humanitarian law.
