Halting the program for resettlement from emergency housing
The State Duma of the Russian Federation announced the halt of the nationwide program for resettlement from emergency housing. The reason for this decision is the lack of funds in the budget, which, according to Deputy Andrey Gurulyov, is linked to the war against Ukraine. This decision significantly affects almost 350 thousand people who were to receive new housing over the past five years.
Andrey Gurulyov noted that the Kremlin chooses to save on the safety and well-being of its citizens rather than reduce military spending.
The war, he said, is draining the country’s resources, and citizens are openly asked to 'endure' in this situation.
Policy of appropriation of Ukrainian housing
Moreover, the Russian Federation continues its policy of appropriating the housing of Ukrainian citizens in occupied territories. An example of this is the eviction of residents from a building in Melitopol due to pseudo-courts. In the cities of Kramatorsk, Sloviansk, Dobropillya, Druzhkivka, and Kherson, Russians can purchase secondary housing with family mortgages, which also indicates the activity of the Russian authorities regarding real estate in these areas.
The halting of the program for resettlement from emergency housing in Russia highlights the serious economic difficulties the country faces amid a prolonged war and will negatively impact the social situation for a large number of citizens. At the same time, aggressive actions regarding Ukrainian housing in occupied territories continue to demonstrate human rights violations and the ongoing policy of annexation, which could have serious consequences for relations between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the international community.
Thus, the situation indicates the paradoxical priorities of the Russian government, where military expenditures remain paramount while the social needs of the population are ignored.