Verkhovna Rada supports simplification of access to land after destruction: how Ukrainians will be able to get theirs back
14 May 2025 16:12
On May 13, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada supported in the first reading draft law No. 13174, which provides for a simplified procedure for the return or transfer of land to the ownership and use of former owners of buildings destroyed during the war. This is reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the draft law card on the official website of the Verkhovna Rada.
The draft law was initiated by a group of MPs led by Oleksandr Haidu, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy.
In the explanatory note to the draft law, they point out that this document is a response to the large-scale destruction of real estate as a result of hostilities.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have been left homeless, and destroyed commercial facilities have put an additional burden on the economy. The draft law was initiated to simplify procedures that will allow citizens to restore destroyed housing and infrastructure faster and without unnecessary bureaucracy.
Why is a law on a simplified procedure for the return or transfer of ownership and use of land plots needed?
As a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine, a significant
number of real estate objects are being destroyed. At the same time, there are cases when the right of ownership and use of the land plot on which the destroyed building or structure is located is not registered with the recipient of compensation.
Thus, in case of state registration of termination of ownership of
a destroyed building or structure located on a state or municipal land plot that has not been transferred to the owner of the destroyed property for use, the owner will not be able to lease or own it.
Also, due to the termination of ownership of the destroyed
real estate, the right to receive land plots is lost without
compliance with the requirements set forth in the first paragraph of part three of Article 20 of the Land Code of Ukraine. The transfer of ownership or use of a land plot to the owner of a destroyed real estate object must be preceded by the development or amendment of urban planning documentation.
Therefore, according to the authors of the draft law, there is a need to amend the Land Code of Ukraine to allow the free transfer of state-owned and municipally owned land plots and their transfer for use without land auctions to the former owners of buildings and structures destroyed as a result of hostilities and located on such land plots.
What exactly does the draft law provide for?
Draft Law No. 13174 stipulates that:
Former owners of destroyed buildings may obtain ownership or use of the land plot on which the facility was located without participating in land auctions. This avoids a situation where third-party legal entities or individuals buy land under other people’s facilities that were destroyed by the war.
During martial law and for five years after its termination, land plots may be transferred to municipal or state ownership free of charge to those whose real estate was destroyed.
The law also provides for the temporary abolition of the requirement for urban planning documentation in the case of transfer or change of the designated purpose of a land plot, provided that the new designated purpose is consistent with the purpose of the destroyed object.
These rules are intended to accelerate the reconstruction of housing, social and engineering infrastructure, in particular in liberated communities or cities that have suffered serious damage.
Context and importance
As of 2025, more than 150,000 residential properties, thousands of schools, hospitals, and businesses were destroyed or damaged in Ukraine. In many cases, citizens or businesses cannot begin to rebuild because they do not legally have the right to the land they lost due to the war. Draft law No. 13174 is intended to restore these rights and enable full participation in the reconstruction.
The law is also economically important – clear legal regulation of land ownership creates conditions for investment, reconstruction and planned development of communities. This is important for both domestic entrepreneurs and international donors who finance recovery.
Warnings and criticism
During the discussion of the draft law, some MPs expressed concern about possible abuses, including attempts by unscrupulous individuals to obtain land plots on the basis of forged or incomplete documents. In this regard, it is expected that the document will be finalized for the second reading, in particular in terms of strengthening the verification of the rights of former owners and mechanisms for monitoring local decision-making.
The need to create a unified register of destroyed objects that would record the fact and place of destruction to avoid future conflicts is also being discussed.
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