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New apartments rise in Mariupol where people died; who is buying them?
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท Croatia /Conflict & Security

New apartments rise in Mariupol where people died; who is buying them?

From Veฤernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Russia is building new residential buildings in occupied Mariupol on the sites of destroyed homes.
  • Former residents describe their homes being destroyed and residents being expelled by Russian forces.
  • New apartments are being bought by settlers, including Russian security personnel and civil servants, often with subsidized mortgages.

In Mariupol, a city devastated by Russian forces, new apartment buildings are rising on the rubble of destroyed homes. The "Leningradsky Kvartal" residential complex, built by Russian developer "Su-2007," now stands where residents like Halina Artemova and Yevhen Sosnovsky once lived.

It is my beloved city. When I see photos, tears well up. I know every crack in the asphalt, every tree.

โ€” Halina ArtemovaA former resident describing her feelings about Mariupol.

Artemova, an English teacher, had lived in Mariupol for nearly 40 years. Her apartment building was hit by a missile in March 2022. Sosnovsky, a photographer, lost his home of two decades in a similar attack. Both described being forced to flee by Russian troops, leaving behind their belongings and lives.

Now, new residents are moving into these buildings. Online forums reveal they are purchasing apartments for personal use or rental, inquiring about furniture delivery from Russia and local schools. Some express frustration with ongoing construction noise, with one resident questioning if complaints indicate pro-Ukrainian sentiment.

I built everything myself, from interior design to furniture. We invested a lot and wanted to spend our old age there peacefully.

โ€” Yevhen SosnovskyA former resident describing his life before his home was destroyed.

According to economic expert Vyacheslav Shiryaev, the buyers are primarily settlers, including members of Russian security forces, civil servants, and military-affiliated logistics personnel. A smaller number are individuals seeking to live by the sea at a lower cost than in Crimea or Sochi. Russian citizenship is a prerequisite for subsidized mortgages, offering a 2% annual interest rate on loans up to six million rubles.

It's time to rest! Stop this damn work already! Or are you perhaps pro-Ukrainian and against Russian laws?

โ€” New resident in MariupolComplaining about construction noise in a new apartment complex.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.