In June, 7 218 an expert discussion on theme: “The price of the Kremlin aggression in Ukraine: the material dimension” was held in the Ukrainian Crisis Center with the participation of Ruslan Seidametov, the Chief consultant of the Department of Legal Analysis of the Mission. Ukraine lost 100 billion US dollars due to the Russia’s aggression in Crimea and in the East of the country, pointed out the Atlantic Council.
The panel discussion was devoted to the economic loss of Ukraine due to the Krimlean aggression in Crimea and Donbass and concrete steps necessary to be done by the Ukrainian Government and all civilized world to return and compensate the Ukrainian assert which is now under the direct or indirect control of the Russian Federation. After the attempts of the Crimea annexation Ukraine has lost 1,4 billion US dollars. Besides, the Ukrainian banks lost the rest assert left in the banking departments – from 1,7 to 1,9 billions US dollars. Russia confiscated “Crimeaenergo”, as a result – Ukraine lost 1 billion US dollars.
“We do not speak in order to sell Crimea. Crimea remains for us as a part of the territory of Ukraine. We speak about the defense of the people’s interests who lost their legal rights in Crimea. It is evidently for us the property rights belong to Ukraine and Russia ignores our right to regulate this issue. It is our clear position” – emphasized Olena Zerkal, the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister on European Integration.
The Russian Federation also has a significant economic losses. Every year Russia spends near 2 mild US Dollars to finance the illegal authorities in Crimea. The military expenditures of the RF durinf two last years increased to 5,3 % of Gross Domestic Product. Ukrainian companies and individual persons who lost their assets in the result of the Russia’s aggression should file claims in the International Courts – said Alan Raily, the senior scientist of Eurasia Center Atlantic Council. It sould be united into groups and plead together to decrease the court expenditures.
“We can call on and facilitate to individuals and entities to demand the compensations from Kremlin” – pointed John Herbst, director of the Eurasia Center Atlantic Council. “Ukrainians have some ways in order to obtain the compensation for the damage caused. One of the ways – bilateral investment treaty between Ukraine and Russia, signed in 1998. This treaty provides for each side will encourage the investors from the other one to implement the investments in the own territory and will allow such investment respecting the legislation of the other side” – stressed Yevheniy Choly, the President of the Ukrainian World Congress.
“It is also important to motivate the investors to turn back after the territories will be freed after the occupation. Such point of view expressed the Vice President of the Business Education Department of Kyiv Economy School. “Motivation is gradually reduced. This issue should be a subject for public discussion. Indirect losses are likely to much greater than direct losses in the occupied territories. Me must be ready to calculate all the losses” – concluded Julia Klemenko.