Ukraine's bold reparations drive: Demanding justice from Russia

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In an exclusive interview with The Jerusalem Post, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Mudra outlined Kyiv’s strategy for securing compensation and ensuring justice for the victims of war.

By ALEX WINSTON FEBRUARY 23, 2025 15:58 Updated: FEBRUARY 23, 2025 16:06
 REUTERS/GLEB GARANICH) Tracers are seen in the night sky as Ukrainian servicemen fire at the drone during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 21, 2025. (photo credit: REUTERS/GLEB GARANICH)

As Ukraine marks three years on Monday since Russia’s full-scale ground invasion and its forces continue to battle Russian forces, Kyiv is intensifying its push for financial reparations, arguing that Moscow must be held accountable for the devastation it has wrought. 

In an exclusive interview with The Jerusalem Post, Iryna Mudra, Ukraine’s Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, outlined the country’s strategy for securing compensation and ensuring justice for the victims of the war.

“You can see the war continuing despite any negotiations or any pretension of negotiations,” she told the ‘Post’ a day before Russia’s biggest drone attack of the war on Ukraine’s capital city. 

“We do want negotiations, but we don’t see this willingness from the Russian side,” Mudra said. “Last Wednesday, the Russians damaged the heating system in Odesa, leaving people in their houses at minus nine degrees. They continue bombing buildings and hospitals. They are not willing to negotiate. At least they don’t show this by their behavior every day.”

As Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, Mudra has been instrumental in advancing Ukraine's efforts to secure compensation and war reparations as a consequence of the war, and this stems from her legal background. Formerly deputy justice minister, and now in her current role which she has held since early last year, she has played a pivotal role in establishing mechanisms to address the extensive damages inflicted upon Ukraine.

Iryna Mudra, Deputy Ministers of Justice of Ukraine during the presentation of the 'Scythian Gold' collection returned to Ukraine, November 28, 2023. (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK/DMYTRO LARIN)

Ukraine has documented a staggering number of alleged Russian war crimes, with over 173,833 crimes relating to the “aggression of the Russian Federation” as they are legally called, according to Mudra. 

“The crimes against peace, human security, and international legal order alone exceed 153,000 cases. Just the registered figure of civilians killed is about 14,000, with nearly 30,000 injured. Among them, 600 children have been killed, and over 1,700 have been injured.”

Beyond the immediate loss of life, Mudra highlighted Russia’s systematic efforts to erase Ukrainian identity. “What Russians do is they continue to hold our children hostage. They take children from the occupied territories, from their families, and move them to the Russian Federation or occupied regions. The number is in the thousands. It makes it impossible to negotiate fairly with them.”

Kyiv has worked hard to document all Russian attacks on both civilian and state facilities - Over 160,000 residential buildings attacked; over 3,000 educational institutions; almost 1000 medical institutions and the list continues, with cultural facilities, religious buildings, network and communications infrastructure and much more.

Spearheading efforts to secure financial reparations

Mudra has spearheaded efforts to create a framework for securing financial reparations. Ukraine has already taken steps to establish an International Register of Damage, officially launched in The Hague in April 2024. This database collects claims from individuals, businesses, and the state itself, providing a legal foundation for future compensation claims.


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“This register is operational and has started accepting applications from victims,” Mudra said. “Anyone who suffered damages in Ukraine after February 24, 2022, due to Russia’s aggression, is eligible to apply.”

The next step, Mudra told the ‘Post’, is the formation of an International Claims Commission that will define compensation amounts. “We are working with 53 states, the European Union, and the Council of Europe to finalize negotiations by the end of the year. The goal is to have the commission up and running early next year.”

Ukraine is also advocating for access to Russian state assets frozen abroad, particularly the nearly $300 billion held in G7 countries. “We are calling on European and American partners to provide Ukraine access to these funds,” Mudra said. “This money should be used for Ukraine’s reconstruction, for rebuilding critical infrastructure, and for purchasing military equipment.”

She emphasized that Ukraine is not merely seeking financial assistance but a means to hold Russia accountable. “Russia will never willingly repay under its current government. However, under international law, Article 4 of the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts obliges Russia to make reparations.”

Mudra is also leading efforts to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. “This is a crime committed by the highest political and military leadership of the Russian Federation,” she said. “Unfortunately, they are protected by immunity under international law, but that does not mean they should escape justice.” Under international law, the “crime of aggression” is the planning, initiation or execution of a large-scale and serious act of aggression using state military force, and it is for this specific crime Ukraine wants to hold Russia responsible.

Mudra pointed to historical precedent, noting that there have only been two tribunals for crimes of aggression in modern history—the Nuremberg Trials and the Tokyo Trials after World War II. “This will be the third,” she said.

As Ukraine continues its legal and diplomatic battle, it has also faced external challenges, including shifting rhetoric from key allies. President Donald Trump recently made comments referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a ‘dictator’, and demanded Ukraine repay “$350 billion” it has received in aid from the previous Biden administration with Ukraine’s precious minerals. Talks also took place last week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between American and Russian officials, although notably, Ukraine was not invited.

Significant obstacles remain in Kyiv’s push for accountability and compensation, particularly in navigating international legal frameworks. Mudra acknowledged the complexity of the process but remained resolute.

“The financial aid we receive is decreasing, not increasing,” she said. “That is why we are calling for access to Russia’s frozen assets. This is part of justice. This is part of accountability. Without it, there will be no real peace.”

Beyond the immediate war effort, Mudra also emphasized Ukraine’s deep historical ties to Israel and highlighted that Ukraine has a long history of commemorating Jewish history, including sites such as the Kharkiv Holocaust Museum and ongoing efforts to develop the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center in Kyiv. “Many people don’t realize how deeply intertwined Ukrainian and Jewish histories are,” she told the ‘Post.’

“It is obvious that our main task today is to survive, and therefore we are trying to convince the Israeli authorities that together, we could be stronger,” she noted.

”Sharing technology and opening access to your armed forces’ market could also protect thousands of our people. Your air defense systems are some of the best in the world - if not the best. Everyone knows David’s Sling missiles and the famous Iron Dome system, and selling them to us would help us save entire cities from the threat of missiles. So this is somewhere our authorities could cooperate.”

Pointing to more future collaborations, she stated that Israel also has much to learn from Ukraine in its battles with Iran and its proxy groups - Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis. 

“Ukraine also can give Israel a lot,” she related. “There are drone technologies, the latest, proven battle tactics. There are developments in the field of cyber warfare. We Can share these skills and this knowledge with Israel.”

The ‘Post’ was in Kyiv on Saturday night as it came under the heaviest drone attack since the start of the war. Officials stated that 267 drones were launched, and the Ukrainian Air Force reported that 138 were shot down and 119, which were decoy drones, were lost without causing any damage.

Every day that passes, despite negotiations, causes more and more damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure, as well as the risks to the population. With each passing day, Mudra’s work gets harder and harder. 

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