International Register of Damages RD4U: A Complete Guide for Business
How to document losses from Russian aggression, what documents to prepare, and how not to lose your right to compensation
Updated: May 2026 • current information following the opening of categories C1.1, C1.2, C3.1 (29.04.2026)
Why This Matters for Your Business — and Why Right Now
29 April 2026 marked a turning point for Ukrainian business: the Register of Damages for Ukraine (RD4U) opened claim categories for legal entities for the first time. Until that moment, the mechanism recorded losses primarily of individuals — damaged apartments, deaths of relatives. Now business has its own instrument.
Over three years of full-scale war, the direct economic damage to Ukraine has exceeded $195 billion. Tens of thousands of companies have lost production capacity, equipment, inventory, leased warehouses — and the profit they would have earned in peacetime.
The main question business asks is: “When will we be paid, and how much?” The honest answer: nobody knows the exact timeline. But companies that do not file a claim now will receive nothing later — because their losses will simply not be officially recorded in the international register, and the Compensation Commission will have no grounds to award payments.
“The Register is not an instant payment. It is a legal reservation of your right to compensation from Russia. Failing to file a claim today means voluntarily giving up that right tomorrow.” — War Damages Attorney, Dextralaw
What Is RD4U: Facts You May Not Know Yet
Who Created It and Why
The Register of Damages for Ukraine (RD4U) was established under the auspices of the Council of Europe in May 2023 at the initiative of 44 states and the European Union. It is the first international mechanism of its kind — specifically created to document the damages suffered by one state as a result of another state’s aggression.
The Register is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. It accepted its first claim in April 2024 (category A3.1 — damage to residential property of individuals). In December 2024, the first 832 decisions on claim registration were issued. As of May 2026, approximately 150,000 claims have been submitted.
Three-Tier Architecture: Register → Commission → Fund
- Register of Damages (RD4U) — records and registers claims. Already operational. Claims are submitted via the Diia portal.
- International Compensation Commission — evaluates registered claims and determines the amount of compensation. The Convention establishing it was signed by 35 states and the EU in December 2025. Currently being formed.
- Compensation Fund — provides actual payments. Funded from Russian assets frozen under sanctions regimes. Russia bears full financial responsibility.
The key principle: the claimant files with the Register — the Commission decides — the Fund pays. Without a registered claim, there is no review and no payment.
⚖ Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 365 of 29.03.2024: Procedure for filing claims with RD4U via the Unified State Web Portal (Diia)
⚖ Law of Ukraine “On Ukraine’s Accession to the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Register of Damages”: Legal basis for Ukraine’s participation in RD4U
Business Categories: What Has Been Open Since 29 April 2026
Until April 2026, legal entities were effectively excluded from the RD4U mechanism. Now three key categories have been opened, designated with the code “C” (for Companies). Here is a comparison:
| Code | Name | What It Covers | Who Can File |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1.1 | Damage / destruction of critical infrastructure | Energy, water supply, transport, communications, healthcare and other critical infrastructure facilities. | Any legal entities, state and municipal enterprises. |
| C1.2 | Damage / destruction of non-critical infrastructure | Industrial buildings, offices, warehouses, commercial premises and any other non-residential property of an enterprise. | Any legal entities, regardless of ownership form. |
| C3.1 | Damage, destruction or loss of assets | Equipment, machinery, inventory, vehicles, intangible assets. Plus: loss of profit, complete business destruction, direct costs. | Any legal entities. The broadest category for business. |
What is still pending: The Register’s Council has already approved forms for several additional business categories — C2.1 (building damage), C2.2 (cultural property), C3.4 (other economic losses), C4 (humanitarian expenditure). They are awaiting approval by the Conference of Participants and are expected to open in 2026. You should file a claim now — to be ready as soon as the relevant categories open.
Who Can File a Claim: Requirements for Business
Any legal entity registered in Ukraine or conducting business on its territory may file a claim in categories C1.1, C1.2 and C3.1:
- Private companies: LLC, JSC, PJSC — regardless of ownership form or industry
- State and municipal enterprises: state enterprises, communal enterprises, state institutions
- Local self-government bodies (in C categories)
- Sole traders — only under category A3.5 (loss of private entrepreneurship) — a separate procedure, not C-categories
- Foreign companies with assets/property in Ukraine — detailed requirements to be clarified
Critical condition: the damage must have been caused after 24 February 2022 on the internationally recognised territory of Ukraine as a result of internationally unlawful acts of Russia. Losses from the general economic consequences of the war (drop in demand, logistics disruption) fall under the separate category C3.4, which has not yet been opened.
Documents for Legal Entities: Complete Checklist
The evidentiary basis for business is significantly more complex than for individuals. Here is a full list of what you need to gather:
| Document Block | What to Include | Important Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Company identification | Current extract from the Unified State Register (USR). Articles of association or founding agreement. Confirmation of the director’s authority (appointment order). If a representative acts — a power of attorney via the “Digital Powers” function in Diia. | The director may file in person or delegate to an authorised representative using the new “Digital Powers” option in the Diia app. |
| Ownership / control over assets | Purchase, lease and leasing agreements. Inventory records. Extracts from real estate registers. Balance sheet listing fixed assets. | You must demonstrate that the property or assets belonged to / were under the company’s control at the time the damage was caused. |
| Evidence of damage | Photo and video documentation of damage (with geotags and dates). Inspection report from the State Emergency Service or police. Technical expert assessment. Witness statements. | The more independent sources, the higher the likelihood of the claim being accepted by the Commission. |
| Financial assessment of losses | Financial statements (for 2021–2022 and the current date). Tax reports (automatically retrieved via Diia). Independent valuation report (mandatory for C3.1). Lost profit calculation. | For C3.1, the Register strongly recommends engaging a certified appraiser. A self-assessed calculation significantly increases the risk of the claim being deemed “manifestly unfounded”. |
| Link to Russian aggression | Evidence of causation: date and location of the incident, GPS coordinates, certificates from authorities, open-source data (OSINT). Court decision (if available). | Damage must have been caused after 24.02.2022 on Ukrainian territory within internationally recognised borders. |
Category Comparison: C1.x vs C3.1
| C1.x (infrastructure) | C3.1 (assets + profit) | |
|---|---|---|
| Object of claim | Real estate, buildings, structures | Movable property, equipment, goods, cash, profit |
| Amount | Property value + restoration costs | Asset value + lost profit + direct costs |
| Complexity of evidence | Medium — State Emergency Service reports, technical assessment | High — independent appraiser required |
| Submission | Via Diia, director or representative | Via Diia, director or representative |
“The most common business mistake is underestimating the evidentiary requirements for C3.1. Simply stating an approximate figure in the claim is not enough. Without an independent appraiser and a substantiated lost profit calculation, the claim risks being classified as ‘manifestly unfounded’ — and will not be entered into the Register.” — War Damages Attorney, Dextralaw
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to File a Claim via Diia
01 — Identify which categories apply to your losses
Assess your damages: real estate / infrastructure (C1.1 or C1.2), movable property and equipment / loss of profit (C3.1). You may file multiple claims in different categories simultaneously.
02 — Collect and organise your evidence
Photos, videos, State Emergency Service reports, technical assessments, proof of ownership, financial and tax reporting. For C3.1 — engage an independent appraiser to prepare a valuation report on the losses and lost profit.
03 — Verify that your corporate documents are current
USR extract (no older than 30 days). Confirmation of director’s authority. If a representative is filing — set up Digital Powers in the Diia app.
04 — Prepare the claim amount calculation
The Register requires an approximate claim figure. For infrastructure — a restoration cost estimate. For assets — market value + lost profit calculation using methodology accepted in international valuation practice.
05 — Log in to Diia and find the RD4U service
Go to diia.gov.ua → Services → Reparations / International Register of Damages. Or directly: www.diia.gov.ua/services/RD4U. Log in via BankID or the director’s qualified electronic signature (QES).
06 — Fill in the form and upload your documents
Select the category (C1.1, C1.2, C3.1). Complete the form: description of property/assets, date and circumstances of the loss, claim amount, list of evidence. Upload files. Financial statements are retrieved automatically from the State Tax Service.
07 — Track your claim status in Diia
After submission, the Register reviews the claim and issues a decision: accepted into the register / requires revision / rejected. Notification is sent via Diia. If revision is required — make the necessary changes and resubmit.
⚖ www.diia.gov.ua/services/RD4U: Official page for submitting RD4U claims via Diia
⚖ www.rd4u.coe.int/uk/submit-a-claim: Claim forms and submission rules (official Register website)
Common Business Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Mistake 1: “Let’s wait until things become clearer”
The Register was created for an initial period of 3 years (from 2023). Whether and when the submission window will close or be extended is unknown. The risk of missing the deadline is real.
Mistake 2: One document for everything
Each category requires a separate claim with its own evidentiary base. A damaged building (C1.2) and destroyed equipment (C3.1) are two separate claims.
Mistake 3: Self-assessing damages without a professional appraiser
For C3.1, a self-prepared calculation in free form is almost always deemed insufficient. A report from a certified appraiser applying international standards is required.
Mistake 4: No documented link between the loss and Russian aggression
Writing “due to the war” is not enough. You must provide documented proof of causation: date, location, nature of the act, consequences.
Mistake 5: Outdated company documents
The USR extract and confirmation of the director’s authority must all be current at the time of submission.
Mistake 6: Ignoring claims because the losses seem “small”
There is no minimum claim threshold. Every documented loss is worth registering.
Dextralaw: Legal Support from Loss Documentation to Compensation
Filing a claim with RD4U is not simply clicking a button in Diia. For business, it is a complex legal process where an error in the evidentiary base can strip you of the right to compensation that may run into millions of hryvnias.
Law firm Dextralaw supports businesses at every stage — from the initial damage audit to the preparation of a complete set of documents for RD4U.
What We Do for Your Company
- Damage audit: we analyse which of your losses fall under categories C1.1, C1.2, C3.1 and future C-categories
- Evidence base preparation: we help collect and organise photos, reports, technical opinions and title documents
- Claim amount calculation: we coordinate work with an independent appraiser and ensure compliance with international valuation standards
- Claim preparation and submission: we complete RD4U forms, upload documents and verify compliance with Register requirements
- Appeals and revisions: if the Register returns the claim for revision, we address the comments and resubmit
- Support before the Compensation Commission: once the Commission begins its review, we will prepare your position and documents to support the strongest possible claim
In addition to RD4U, Dextralaw provides a full range of services related to war damage compensation and recovery: judicial enforcement of compensation, representation before international arbitration bodies, and engagement with state recovery funds.
