Mariupol city authorities, supporting the Ukrainian government, have raised alarms about the sale of apartments in the Russian-occupied city, which were heavily damaged during the Russian offensive. According to reports, these apartments, now devoid of their original tenants, are being put on the market despite their ruined condition.
In a recent Russian media report, which was criticized as propaganda, presenters were seen visiting damaged apartments, discussing the real estate market in Mariupol with realtors. One such apartment, a three-bedroom unit in need of major renovation due to Russian shelling, still contained the personal belongings and children's toys of its former residents, left behind in a supposedly hurried departure.
Mariupol's city council, loyal to Kyiv, expressed outrage on social media: "The occupiers are selling the apartment for 5 million rubles. They assure that they have all (of the required) documents," adding that the apartment still poses electrical hazards. Despite this, a realtor was quoted as saying that the balcony offers a "beautiful view."
Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko, also loyal to Kyiv, condemned these sales: "The occupiers cynically destroyed our city. Now they are selling the surviving apartments and building houses for mortgages on the site of the demolished ones. Everything has one purpose - to make money. And the fact that the price of this is thousands of dead civilians doesn't interest them."
The siege and capture of Mariupol by Russian forces in 2022 led to widespread destruction and significant civilian casualties. While the exact number of victims remains unknown, Kyiv authorities estimate that at least 22,000 people may have died in the siege. The city, which had a pre-war population of 430,000, reportedly now houses around 300,000 people, including Russian military personnel and construction workers.
Source: PAP