The Russian Federation will conduct a census of agricultural lands in occupied territories: purpose.

The Kremlin plans to conduct a census of agricultural lands in the occupied territories of Ukraine. The relevant tender has been published on the Russian state procurement website, as reported by 'Glavkom' with reference to the Center for Counteracting Disinformation (CCD).

At the same Time, data about the lands as of 2002 will be entered into the Russian cadastre, that is, before the implementation of land reform in Ukraine. The Russian Federation emphasizes that using later data is 'undesirable,' as it legally records private ownership of land by Ukrainian citizens.

The CCD emphasizes that Russia has several goals in conducting a census of agricultural lands in the occupied territories. It aims to integrate the occupied territories into the administrative-territorial structure of the Russian Federation to 'legalize' them and justify the theft of Ukrainian grain, which has been occurring since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

'In this way, the occupying authorities create an additional tool to pressure Ukrainian citizens who remain in occupation, creating a risk of property loss for landowners in the event of loyalty issues. Any actions by the occupiers regarding Ukrainian land and the property of Ukrainian citizens are legally null and have no legal consequences,' explained the CCD.

It was previously reported that a state company created by Russians exported nearly 212 thousand tons of grain with an approximate value of $46 million from the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region in 2023 alone. Ukrainian crops are being exported to Turkey, Libya, and Israel, and European companies are also involved.

Thus, Russia is preparing to conduct a census of agricultural lands in the occupied territories of Ukraine with the aim of legalizing the occupation, justifying theft, and exerting legal pressure on residents in these regions.