Kyrylo Budanov: Russia Must Compensate Every Hryvnia — The Registry of Damages Opens Acceptance for Demining and Humanitarian Aid Claims

On August 14, 2026, Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, made a significant statement regarding the expansion of the International Registry of Damages for Ukraine (RD4U). In his Facebook post, he confirmed that the mechanism has begun accepting claims for new, critically important categories of damage caused by Russian aggression.

New Categories: Humanitarian Expenses and Demining

According to information published by RBK-Ukraine, the Registry of Damages now officially records costs associated with state humanitarian expenses. This includes funds allocated for the evacuation of citizens from combat zones, their temporary accommodation, provision of emergency medical care, rehabilitation of victims, as well as compensation payments for destroyed housing. According to Budanov, since the start of the full-scale invasion, these expense items have become one of the heaviest burdens for state and local budgets.

A separate and massive item of damage remains the cost of demining territories. Clearing lands from unexploded ordnance, minefields, and other explosive objects requires colossal financial investment and time. Budanov emphasized that international mechanisms for recording damage are intended not just to gather statistics, but to ensure the actual accountability of Russia.

Strategy of the "Full Bill" for the Aggressor

"Russia must pay for every crime and compensate every hryvnia spent on overcoming the consequences of aggression," stated the Head of the President's Office. He noted that Ukraine is consistently forming a complete list of expenses related to the war, recording each separate item of damage. This strategy is aimed at ensuring that in the future, when implementing reparation mechanisms, the aggressor state has no opportunity to avoid paying compensation.

Budanov also reminded of the context of the current situation: Ukraine continues to conduct a special operation aimed at forcing Russia to peace. At the same time, according to him, at this stage, specific deadlines for the end of hostilities are not the determining factor; achieving strategic goals and ensuring security are more important.

Contradictory Data

While the Ukrainian side insists on the inevitability of full compensation and the continuation of military pressure, there are other assessments in the international agenda. Thus, earlier in an interview with Russian media (Source ID 2), Budanov noted that not all European countries are ready to support Kyiv's ability to wage war for years, which creates certain risks for long-term plans. Furthermore, in forecasts (Source ID 4), the possibility of ending active hostilities in 2026 was discussed, which could affect the pace of forming the registry of damages and the transition to peace negotiations, where the issue of reparations will become central.

International Context and Prospects

The opening of new categories in the Registry of Damages is an important step within the framework of international legal struggle. Earlier, in 2025, the first large sums of damage to critical infrastructure objects were recorded. Now the focus is shifting to social and humanitarian aspects, making the registry a more complete tool for future negotiations. As Budanov noted in an interview (Source ID 3), one must prepare for this: relations with Russia after the war will be built on the basis of a tough legal position, where each expense item will have legal justification.