The first eight auctions for the sale of nationalized property of Ukrainian businessmen were held in annexed Crimea, at which assets worth 815 million rubles were sold. This was announced by the “head” of the state council of the region, Vladimir Konstantinov.
Judging by his post, we are talking about residential and commercial real estate. Konstantinov also said that four more residential premises are currently being offered at open auctions. The Russian authorities plan to sell them for about 27 million rubles.
“In addition, the sale of about 100 objects of nationalized property is planned in the near future. These are residential premises, including the Zelensky couple’s apartment, sanatorium-resort facilities, retail and commercial premises,” Konstantinov’s post said.
From the sale of these objects, revenues of 800 million rubles are planned to the budget of the annexed region.
The Russian authorities of annexed Crimea decided to nationalize about 700 assets of Ukrainian individuals in February 2023. Among the owners of nationalized property are Ukrainian businessmen and politicians Rinat Akhmetov, Igor Kolomoisky, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Nestor Shufrich, Sergei Taruta and others.
Nationalized assets include land plots and real estate. The Russian-appointed Crimean parliament believes that their owners are connected with the Kyiv authorities and are taking “unfriendly actions” towards Russia.
In turn, Aksenov said that the nationalized property will be put up for auction, and all proceeds from its sale will go to the needs of a “special military operation” – this is how the war in Ukraine is officially called in Russia.
After the annexation of Crimea by Russia, the regional authorities nationalized 87 objects belonging to Kolomoisky and the Privat group, including the Foros sanatorium, two children’s health centers, the building of the Tavria health complex, 36 Ukrtatnafta gas stations, a fuel and lubricants warehouse in Simferopol and liquefied gas loading point in Kerch. In 2015, Kolomoisky filed a claim with the Arbitration Court of The Hague against the Russian authorities over the nationalization of Belbek Airport in Sevastopol.
In 2017, the Ukrainian energy company DTEK, which is owned by Rinat Akhmetov, filed a claim against Russia for $500 million for the nationalization of assets in Crimea after the annexation of the peninsula by Russia. Prior to this, the leadership of the so-called “DPR” and “LPR” nationalized Akhmetov’s mines in the Donbass.
In March 2014, Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. International organizations recognized the annexation of Crimea as illegal and condemned Russia’s actions; Western countries imposed economic sanctions against it. The Kremlin denies the annexation of the peninsula and calls it “restoration of historical justice.”
