Odesa: Court orders Russia to pay 291 million UAH for the destroyed FOZZY hypermarket
The Economic Court of Odesa Oblast ruled in favor of PJSC "Expansia Retail" and ordered the Russian Federation to pay over 291 million UAH for the destroyed FOZZY hypermarket in Odesa. According to estimates, direct losses amount to 291 593 691 UAH (_8,01 million US dollars), and an expert assessment determined that the building is irreparable. This decision could serve as a basis for recovering assets of the Russian Federation held abroad.
The Economic Court of the Odesa region ruled in favor of PJSC "Expansia Retail" and ordered the Russian Federation to pay over 291 million hryvnias for the hypermarket FOZZY in Odesa, which was destroyed by a Russian missile strike in August 2023 year. The defendant in the case was the Russian Federation, represented by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation; due to the termination of diplomatic relations, it was informed about the consideration of the case through official publications.
An independent assessment determined the direct financial losses to be 291 593 691 hryvnias, which is equivalent to 8,01 million US dollars. A technical expert concluded that the building is irreparable. Prior to the attack, the building was leased and provided the company with a steady income.
The commercial and residential complex suffered damage during the night of 13 on August 14 in 2023. This occurred during a mass rocket attack by Russian forces on civilian targets in Odesa. As a result of the falling rocket debris, a large fire broke out in the building, completely destroying the 11 422,6 square meter structure.
The court also ruled to collect 931 thousand 840 hryvnias in court fees into the state budget of Ukraine. The decision will take legal effect after the expiration of the deadline for an appeal, and, as stated in the case materials, will serve as a legal basis for recovering compensation from frozen Russian assets abroad or through special international reparation mechanisms.