19 November marks the 1,000th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion that destroyed large parts of Ukraine. To mark the date, Libereco calls on German politicians to expropriate all Russian-owned real estate and use the proceeds for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
On Tuesday, exactly 1,000 days have passed since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The Russian army has occupied large parts of its neighbouring country and continues to attack its civilian infrastructure. Ukraine is paying a high price for this, while Russia and Putin-related oligarchs continue to own numerous properties throughout Germany, including some opulent mansions.
To draw attention to these circumstances, several members of the German-Swiss human rights organization Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights symbolically squatted a house in Königswinterstraße in Berlin-Karlshorst on 19 November. For decades, the Russian Federation has allowed several buildings to fall into disrepair at this location and has shown no interest in selling them. Therefore, Libereco calls for the immediate expropriation of these and all other properties in Germany that are owned by the Russian state or by oligarchs who support Putin and the war and are on international sanctions lists.
Berlin must act now
“Just this weekend, Ukraine suffered the most massive air attack in this war to date, with over 200 missiles and drones. Therefore, the proceeds from the sale of Russian real estate should go entirely to reconstruct Ukraine,” suggests Marco Fieber, Libereco’s Executive Director in Germany. He emphasizes: “Berlin can be the first to set a clear signal against Russia’s aggression. The local government must act now and expropriate the buildings in Berlin-Karlshorst that are no longer in use. Russia and its oligarchs must finally feel that their war is also having a direct impact in Germany.”
Since the outbreak of the war in 2014, Libereco has been working closely with local partner organizations to support internally displaced persons in Ukraine, distribute aid packages, support civilian evacuations, and strengthen Ukrainian civil society with a psychosocial support program. The organization has launched a winter aid program to procure heating fuel for warm shelters, nursing homes, and private households.
