Key facts
- Russia-occupied Ukrainian territories have been ranked as the least free places globally by Freedom House for the second year.
- Repressive Russian legislation, including forced citizenship and the suppression of Ukrainian identity, is reportedly pervasive.
- Discriminatory policies are allegedly altering the region's demographics through resettlement and property confiscation.
- Individuals face detention, deportation, and charges of treason or espionage for resisting Russian laws or expressing Ukrainian sympathies.
- Over 60,000 properties have been designated 'ownerless' and thousands have been expropriated by Russian authorities.
For the second consecutive year, Russia-occupied territories in eastern and southern Ukraine have been identified by Freedom House as the least free places globally, surpassing regions like South Sudan, North Korea, and Gaza. The designation stems from pervasive discriminatory Russian policies that impact residents' political rights, freedom of expression, and protection from detention and deportation.
According to Freedom House and the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (HRMMU), inhabitants are subjected to repressive Russian legislation, including forcibly imposed citizenship and the use of antiterrorism laws against political dissidents and religious minorities. These measures are seen as a systemic effort to restrict rights and fundamental freedoms, with evidence suggesting a deliberate attempt to change the region's demographics and destroy Ukrainian culture.
Since 2022, HRMMU has documented at least 16 Russian laws and decrees that limit the rights of Ukrainian citizens in these areas. Education systems are reportedly instilling Russian identity and values, while "Ukrainian nationalism" is criminalized. The process of "passportization" compels Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship to access essential services, with non-compliance leading to detention. Journalist Andrii Dikhtiarenko described the situation as having "all the signs of cultural genocide."
Personal accounts highlight the severe consequences of these policies. Liudmila Chub was detained for eight months and subsequently deported after refusing to obtain a Russian passport for her job. Others have been charged with spying or treason after obtaining Russian citizenship. IT specialist Serhii Gryshchenkov was held incommunicado and allegedly tortured for a year before facing treason charges. HRMMU has documented over 400 such detentions, but incommunicado detentions remain difficult to track.
Furthermore, Russian authorities are confiscating homes of residents who fled the war, designating them as "ownerless" unless re-registered by a Russian citizen. Ukrainians attempting to return face "filtration" processes, arrests, and entry bans. Over 60,000 private properties have been identified as ownerless, with at least 6,500 expropriated and often given to veterans of the conflict or sold to Russian immigrants.