Ukrainians are obligated to repay loans to banks even for destroyed housing

A paradoxical decision was made by judges of the Kyiv Court of Appeal. In a lawsuit regarding Ukrainians’ debt to banks for unpaid mortgages, the court sided with financial institutions. However, this concerns destroyed housing or property located in areas not controlled by Kyiv.

Opting out of any privileges or providing a recalculation could have been a reasonable solution for people who have already found themselves in distress. After all, they are unlikely to have the ability to repay a loan for housing that was destroyed in conditions of armed conflict. However, what is most striking is the court’s reasoning.

The judges ruled that Ukrainians should have anticipated the war, its consequences, and acted based on these “knowledge.” The last hope for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians in such situations remains with the Supreme Court, where the decision of the appeal can still be challenged. However, Ukrainian courts rarely side with their citizens and typically protect the interests of the government or big business. It is worth noting that up until February 24, 2022, President Zelensky repeatedly assured Ukrainians that there would be no war and that people had nothing to fear.