Media: Russian embassy in Kyiv issues documents to sell real estate property in LPR and DPR
The Russian embassy in Kyiv issues documents for property in the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces not controlled by Ukraine. The Russians are carrying out the property operations contrary to Ukrainian legislation and international agreements, TSN reports.
Halina, an immigrant from Luhansk, helped to unveil these machinations. The woman wanted to sell her apartment in the separatist-held territory, and contacted an estate agent several times, but the latter referred her to the Russian consulate, which supposedly grants powers of attorney that are valid in the separatist-controlled territory.
Journalists were not let into the diplomatic institution, and were told that they needed to make an appointment with the Russian consulate, wait for a month for the consulate staff to verify the information, and only then, after receiving telephonic confirmation, could they go to a meeting. The services cost roughly a thousand hryvnia ($37 USD), it is not necessary to have supporting documents for ownership of the passport – only a passport and the passport information of the person for whom the power of attorney is being drawn up.
The woman managed to film the reception in the embassy on her mobile phone. It is clear that her situation is not unique, because literally in front of her in the queue was a man who was getting a power of attorney for the sale of a residence in Donetsk. The embassy official immediately suggested to Halina that she register her departure from her Luhansk apartment. The official asked for 970 hryvnia ($35.9 USD), and gave assurance that the document would be valid in Luhansk. “Yes, it will be,” the embassy official stated.
Soon the power of attorney certified by the Russian embassy in Kyiv ended up in journalists’ hands. It is clearly issued by Russia to a Ukrainian who is transferring her right to an apartment in the city of Luhansk, which, according to the power of attorney, does not belong to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry was shocked to learn of this. The diplomats say that the Russians have violated several articles of the Vienna Convention at once.
“Pursuant to article 55 of this convention, we must point out that consulate officials in the country of accreditation must comply with the legislation of the host country – firstly. And secondly – they must not interfere in the internal affairs of the host country. This is categorically unacceptable. This once again confirms Russia’s presence in the temporarily occupied territories,” emphasized Vasily Kirilich, head of Consular Service Department.
The Ukrainian Justice Ministry warned that deals made in the ATO zone on the basis of such documents will not be recognized by Ukrainian legislation.
“Deals made on the basis of such a power of attorney in ATO (Anti-Terrorist Operation in the Donbas) territory are illegal. It can be affirmed that these documents are a imaginary, and in future they will have no rights in judicial paperwork in Ukraine’s territory,” said Nikolay Smuk, head of the control department in the notary offices of the Department of State Registration of Ukraine.