Daghestani soldiers fighting in Ukraine ask Putin for help in dispute over seized Makhachkala homes
Daghestani soldiers fighting in Ukraine have called on Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials to intervene in the seizure of homes and lands from more than 500 families in a Makhachkala neighbourhood.
The soldiers have additionally asked the head of the Investigative Committee Aleksandr Bastrykin and Deputy Prosecutor General Aleksandr Gutsan to intervene as well.
In the video, the soldiers, dressed in military fatigues and holding weapons, say that the homes had been seized in a neighbourhood associated with the Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy (DOSAAF).
According to them, residents of the neighbourhood purchased plots and property many years ago, completed the documents through state authorities and registered ownership rights, but the property later became the subject of litigation between a Moscow-based company and a local businessperson. The company challenged the legality of the transaction in court. Restrictions were then extended to the homes and plots belonging to residents of the neighbourhood built on the disputed territory.
In the appeal, the soldiers claimed that many residents of the neighbourhood are relatives of soldiers taking part in combat operations against Ukraine, while some of the homeowners themselves are currently at the front. They asked the federal authorities to ‘look into the situation’ and verify the legality of the decisions to seize the property.
The Daghestani television channel NNT had previously reported on the mass seizure of property in the DOSAAF neighbourhood. Residents told the channel’s journalists that they learned about the restrictions on their homes and plots without prior notification and had not participated in court hearings. Some complained that because of the seizure they were unable to carry out property transactions, process documents, or perform construction and communal services work.
Residents of the neighbourhood say that many families have lived there for more than 10 years and acquired their property officially. Some claim they invested all their savings into construction and now fear losing their homes.
‘Our homes and plots of land were acquired lawfully by bona fide purchasers. Many families have invested their last savings, maternity capital and years of hard work in the construction. The property is being seized, and families may be left homeless because of a case to which they are not connected. We ask that the legality of the situation be investigated, that the rights of bona fide owners be protected, and that the eviction of more than 500 families be prevented’, said one of the people in the video.
At the time of publication, there had been no response from the authorities of Daghestan, the Investigative Committee, or the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Land disputes and mass development remain among the most contentious issues in Makhachkala. In recent years, the city has repeatedly seen conflicts over the status of land plots allocated for individual housing construction, as well as houses built on territories with unresolved legal status, while claims regarding land ownership documents have been raised years after construction was completed and ownership registered.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, Russian authorities have regularly stated the need to provide soldiers and their families with additional social guarantees and support. In various regions of Russia, soldiers have been promised benefits, land plots, and simplified solutions to property-related issues.
