Starting today, family members who have lost a close family member as a result of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine can submit an application in category A2.1 to the Register of Damages Caused by the Russian Aggression against Ukraine. This can be done on the Diia portal.
Emotional pain and suffering
This category of claims relates to compensation for emotional distress caused by the loss of a close family member. The opening of the claims process in this category is an important step in assisting those who have experienced unspeakable suffering as a result of Russian aggression, and in ensuring that such families can obtain justice and recognition of their irreparable losses.
Parents, spouses or partners, and children of individuals who have died as a result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine since February 24, 2022 are now eligible to apply for the registry. Other family members may also apply if they demonstrate a legitimate interest by providing evidence of a close relationship and elements of dependency with the family member, as defined in the application form and rules in Category A2.1.
Delay due to cyber attack
The opening of the application process in this category was delayed due to a cyber attack on Ukrainian state registries in December last year. Although the Registry’s systems were not affected, the attack made it difficult for applicants to access information contained in the relevant state registers or databases, which is necessary for filing applications with the Registry.
The Registry plans to resume accepting claims under Category A3.1 – Damage or Destruction of Residential Property, as soon as the relevant state registries become fully operational. At the same time, preparations are underway to open the application process for other categories of claims.
About Application Category A2.1
The new claim category addresses the emotional distress of the claimant caused by the death of a close family member. Applicants must provide information about themselves, the identity of the deceased family member, their relationship to the deceased family member, and the event that caused the death. A considerable amount of information and evidence will be automatically taken from various existing Ukrainian registers for further use by applicants when filling out and submitting applications to the Action.
It is not necessary to provide evidence of material damage caused by the death of a close family member, such as loss of income or support, to apply under this category. Claims for this type of injury, loss or damage may be considered under other categories that may be open for applications in the future.
How to submit a claim
Applications to the Register are submitted through the web portal Diia. Diia is a mobile application and state e-services portal created by the Government of Ukraine that provides simple, convenient and secure online access to electronic documents and public services for citizens and businesses in Ukraine. More than 20 million Ukrainians use Diia.
All the necessary materials for Category A2.1, including the Application Form, application rules, answers to frequently asked questions and practical tips on how to apply, are available on the Registry’s website in Ukrainian and English.
Activities of the Register of Damages
The Register of Damages for Ukraine (RD4U), established under the auspices of the Council of Europe pursuant to UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-11/5, is the result of a significant international effort to hold Russia accountable for its aggression and is the first step in establishing a mechanism to ensure justice and reparations.
43 states and the European Union have already joined the registry. RD4U’s mission is to electronically record claims of damage, loss or injury caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. RD4U is located in The Hague. The Hague (Netherlands). The registry also has an office in Kyiv.
This is the second category of claims to be submitted to the Registry. The first category (A3.1) concerns damage to or destruction of residential property. To date, the Register has received approximately 13,000 claims under category A3.1 with a total declared loss of more than EUR 800 million. Other loss categories are expected to be added in the near future.
