Who gains from saving nature
Ledger 1 : 33 — For each dollar financing nature-based solutions in 2023, about $33 financed activities harmful to nature. (UNEP)
Cases / War and military activity · Ukraine · 2024–2026

Register of Damage for Ukraine, the Claims Commission convention and the money meant to pay claims

Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
Not on record
  • The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
What the record lacks: 5 none on record · 1 not disclosed · 1 not measured · 4 disputed See the gaps

The Council of Europe’s Register of Damage for Ukraine opened all 43 claim categories, including B3.1 Environmental damage, on 30 September 2026. The Convention for an International Claims Commission was not in force, with 10 of 25 ratifications reported, and no compensation fund existed.

About 195,000Claims received by the Register, all categories, 30 September 2026
More than 65,000 recorded; none awarded or paid, because no Claims Commission or compensation fund exists. No count of B3.1 environmental claims has been published.

Status As of 19 October 2026: all 43 Register categories open; the Claims Commission convention not in force (10 of 25 ratifications reported); no compensation fund.

What?
The Register of Damage for Ukraine opened all 43 claim categories on 30 September 2026, including B3.1 Environmental damage; the Claims Commission convention was not in force and no compensation fund existed. Register of Damage for Ukraine (Council of Europe)
Where?
Claims cover damage in Ukraine; the Convention was opened for signature in The Hague. Ministry of Justice of Moldova
When?
Claim submission began 2 April 2024; Convention opened for signature 16 December 2025; all categories opened 30 September 2026. Register of Damage for Ukraine (Council of Europe)
Who?
Gained
None on record
Lost
None on record
Harmed
None on record
Why?
The Register is described as the first stage towards compensation decided by the International Claims Commission. Interfax-Ukraine
How?
Claims are recorded by the Register; awards are to be decided by the Commission and paid from a compensation fund not yet created; immobilised Russian assets service the ERA loans and fund windfall transfers. Register of Damage for Ukraine (Council of Europe)
5 of 6 questions answered from the record · open: who

What happened

The record, in order.

The Register of Damage for Ukraine, set up under the Council of Europe, records claims for damage caused by Russia’s aggression; the International Claims Commission is meant to decide awards and a compensation fund is meant to pay them. Claim submission began on 2 April 2024. On 30 September 2026 the Register announced that it had opened all claims categories: 21 for individuals, 11 for legal entities and 11 for the State of Ukraine. The last three opened were B1.6, B3.1 (Environmental damage) and B3.2. The release says the categories “allow for documenting damage caused to the natural environment”, and that B3.1 may be used by the State of Ukraine, its central, regional and local authorities, and state and municipal institutions and organisations. About 195,000 claims had been received and more than 65,000 recorded across all categories by 30 September 2026; no count of environmental (B3.1) claims was published.

The Convention establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine was opened for signature on 16 December 2025 in The Hague at a diplomatic conference held by the Council of Europe and the Netherlands. Entry into force requires at least 25 ratifications and budget contributions sufficient to finance the Commission sustainably, according to Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Signatory and ratification counts differ by source and date: 34 countries and the EU at signing (Estonia, 11 March 2026); 32 states and 8 ratifications (Moldova’s Ministry of Justice, 23 July 2026); 40 signatory states and the EU with 10 ratifications and 25 needed (Interfax-Ukraine, 30 September 2026). The Riigikogu of Estonia ratified on 11 March 2026 with 68 votes in favour; Moldova’s Parliament held its second reading on 23 July 2026; Canada signed on 11 May 2026, the first non-member state to do so.

No compensation fund has been established. The Register said the next step was to “complete the establishment of the Claims Commission and the Compensation Fund”. Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called finding workable payment solutions “the next and at the same time the most difficult step”; the page names no funding source for awards.

Money tied to immobilised Russian central bank assets sits on the asset side. The G7’s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) loans of 25 October 2024 provide about USD 50 billion (EUR 45 billion) to Ukraine, to be repaid from extraordinary revenues of the immobilised assets, which the G7 said “will remain immobilized until Russia ends its aggression and pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine”; disbursement runs from 1 December 2024 to 31 December 2027. On 31 March 2026 the EU delivered EUR 1.4 billion of windfall revenues (fourth transfer, revenues of the second half of 2025): 95% through the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism and 5% through the European Peace Facility. At the 18–19 December 2025 European Council, leaders agreed a EUR 90 billion interest-free loan for 2026–2027 financed by EU borrowing (24 member states; the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia not taking part); a “reparations loan” using the immobilised assets was not agreed, and Belgium was its most vocal opponent. Kyiv Independent reported that Ukraine would repay the loan only once Russia paid reparations.

On 29 January 2025 the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation declared the Register an “undesirable” organisation and said its activity aimed at violating Russia’s territorial integrity and “undermining its economic foundations”, according to Mediazona, citing the Prosecutor General’s website and Telegram channel.

  1. 2024Claim submission starts (2 Apr)
  2. 2024G7 announces ERA loans of about USD 50 billion repaid from revenues of immobilised Russian assets (25 Oct)
  3. 2025Russian Prosecutor General declares the Register “undesirable” (29 Jan)
  4. 2025Convention for the International Claims Commission opened for signature in The Hague (16 Dec); European Council agrees EUR 90 billion loan (18–19 Dec)
  5. 2026Estonia ratifies the Convention (11 Mar)
  6. 2026EU delivers EUR 1.4 billion of windfall revenues to Ukraine (31 Mar)
  7. 2026Canada signs the Convention (11 May); Moldova’s Parliament holds second reading (23 Jul)
  8. 2026Register opens all 43 claim categories, including B3.1 Environmental damage (30 Sep)

What was said

Claims, in the words of those who made them.

“allow for documenting damage caused to the natural environment”

“complete the establishment of the Claims Commission and the Compensation Fund”

“the next and at the same time the most difficult step”

“will remain immobilized until Russia ends its aggression and pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine”

“the interest on the cash balances does not belong to Russia”

“an international administrative body established under the auspices of the Council of Europe”

Where accounts differ

Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.

How many states had signed or ratified the Claims Commission convention
Government and regulators
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia (11 March 2026)

34 countries and the EU at signing.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Government and regulators
Ministry of Justice of Moldova (23 July 2026)

32 states and 8 ratifications.

Ministry of Justice of Moldova
Press and investigations
Interfax-Ukraine (30 September 2026)

40 signatory states and the EU, 10 ratifications, 25 needed.

Interfax-Ukraine
The purpose of the Register of Damage
Government and regulators
Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation

The Register’s activity aims at violating Russia’s territorial integrity and “undermining its economic foundations” (translated, as reported by Mediazona).

Mediazona
International bodies
Register of Damage for Ukraine

The categories allow for documenting damage caused to the natural environment and every type of damage within the Register’s mandate.

Register of Damage for Ukraine (Council of Europe)
Press and investigations
Interfax-Ukraine

The Register is the first stage; the Claims Commission will decide awards.

Interfax-Ukraine
Use of immobilised Russian assets for a reparations loan
Government and regulators
Belgium, as reported by Kyiv Independent

Feared liability of a third of its GDP if Russia sued to recover the assets; the most vocal opponent of the reparations loan.

Kyiv Independent
Government and regulators
European Council (December 2025)

Agreed a EUR 90 billion interest-free loan financed by EU borrowing; the reparations loan was not agreed.

Kyiv Independent

How it looked

What was shown, beside what was recorded.

Shown

Recorded

  • Register categories: 21 for individuals, 11 for legal entities and 11 for the State of Ukraine; the final three opened on 30 September 2026 were B1.6, B3.1 (Environmental damage) and B3.2. Interfax-Ukraine names the State categories as “Other Property Losses”, “Environmental Damage” and “Theft and/or Misappropriation of Natural Resources”.
  • About 195,000 claims received and more than 65,000 recorded, all categories, as of 30 September 2026. No count of B3.1 claims is published.
  • Convention: opened for signature 16 December 2025; entry into force needs at least 25 ratifications and sufficient budget contributions; status on 19 October 2026 was not in force, with 10 of 25 ratifications per Interfax-Ukraine (8 per Moldova’s Ministry of Justice on 23 July 2026).
  • ERA loans: about USD 50 billion (EUR 45 billion), repaid from extraordinary revenues of immobilised Russian sovereign assets; disbursement 1 December 2024 to 31 December 2027.
  • EUR 1.4 billion delivered on 31 March 2026 (95% through the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism, which helps Ukraine repay the EU macro-financial assistance loan and G7 bilateral loans; 5% through the European Peace Facility).
  • European Council, 18–19 December 2025: EUR 90 billion interest-free loan for 2026–2027 financed by EU borrowing; the reparations loan was not agreed; Belgium feared liability of a third of its GDP if Russia sued to recover the assets, according to Kyiv Independent.
  • On 29 January 2025 the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation declared the Register an “undesirable” organisation, according to Mediazona.
  • The planned Ukrainian climate claim of more than USD 57 billion is for filing in the Register’s environmental category; no filing is on record (see the related case).

Who gained

Money that reached nature, beside money that stayed elsewhere.

Reached nature or the ground

Not published
Environmental claims filed in category B3.1—
No count or value of B3.1 claims has been published.

Gained elsewhere

Not totalled
G7 ERA loans repaid from revenues of immobilised Russian assets (about USD 50 billion)≈ €45bn
Window: Disbursement 1 Dec 2024 – 31 Dec 2027
Windfall revenues delivered by the EU, fourth transfer€1.4bn
Window: 31 Mar 2026
EU interest-free loan financed by EU borrowing, repayable once Russia pays reparations (Kyiv Independent)€90bn
Window: 2026–2027
Currency: EUR · Window: Mixed — see each line. Figures cover different periods and are not compared as a ratio. * Estimate built from cited figures.

Responses on record

  • russian-prosecutor-general (29 January 2025): Declared the Register an “undesirable” organisation whose activity aims at violating Russia’s territorial integrity and “undermining its economic foundations” (translated). · Mediazona

In court and with insurers

Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

Lawsuits and rulings

No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.

Insurers

No insurer decision on record.

What we don't know

Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.

Nature

  • Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.

Money

  • None on record Environmental claims filed in category B3.1 — No count or value of B3.1 claims has been published.

Court

Accounts

  • Disputed How many states had signed or ratified the Claims Commission convention
  • Disputed The purpose of the Register of Damage
  • Disputed Use of immobilised Russian assets for a reparations loan

Record

  • None on record None on record: a published count or value of claims in category B3.1 (Environmental damage).
  • None on record None on record: a funding source for awards from the compensation fund, which has not been established; neither the Register nor Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs names one.
  • Disputed Figures differ: for the Convention, Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives 34 countries and the EU at signing (11 March 2026), Moldova’s Ministry of Justice gives 32 states and 8 ratifications (23 July 2026), and Interfax-Ukraine gives 40 signatory states and the EU with 10 ratifications (30 September 2026).
  • None on record None on record: a Russian government statement on the Claims Commission convention.
  • Not disclosed Not disclosed: the amounts of participant contributions that finance the Register and the Commission.

Did the harm stop?

None on record.

Who paid?

No claim has been awarded or paid. The ERA loans and the EUR 1.4 billion transfer are serviced from revenues of immobilised Russian assets; the EUR 90 billion EU loan is financed by EU borrowing.

Sources

Voices on record: — Company or project✓ Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society✓ Researchers✓ International bodies

Researchers

International bodies

  1. Register of Damage for Ukraine has opened all claims categories for submission
    Register of Damage for Ukraine (Council of Europe) · 2026-09-30
  2. Register of Damage for Ukraine: news
    Register of Damage for Ukraine (Council of Europe) · 2026

Connected cases

Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.

Law and courts

Arbitration
A private dispute process in which an appointed arbitrator, instead of a court, decides the case.