A woman digs ground as damaged buildings are being demolished by heavy duty machine as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Mariupol’s Russian controlled territory, Ukraine on March 16, 2023.
Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Russians are flocking to the occupied city of Mariupol for cheap apartments.
One Russian who spoke to the BBC was excited at the prospect of a seaside apartment.
Russian troops took control of Mariupol last year after a bloody battle that killed thousands.
The BBC reported that as the Kremlin looks to reconstruct the occupied city of Mariupol into a Russian town, Russian families are starting to buy property in the area.
Russian forces took control of Mariupol in the Spring of 2022 following a deadly siege that drove out city officials. The besieged town is currently undergoing a transformation led by President Vladimir Putin, who visited the territory in February to inspect a new apartment building constructed by Russians.
Russian road signs are being erected, schools are being forced to change their curriculum, and Russians are now moving in with the prospect of cheap property, the BBC reported.
The publication identified dozens of Russians flooding VKontakte, Russia’s most popular social networking site, similar to Facebook, to inquire about property in the area.
Vladimir, a Russian resident who sold his home in Murmansk to move to Mariupol, told the BBC in an interview that he wanted to move to Mariupol to live with his family in a cheap seaside apartment.
“Mariupol will be a beautiful city,” Vladimir, who was only identified by his first name, told the publication.
Despite Russia’s insistence that the city is now formally part of the country, reports from Russian officials paint a picture that Ukrainians are still fighting back.
Insider’s Tom Porter reported that Ukrainian resistance fighters recently poisoned 17 Russian officers, killing at least two, per local reports.
Ukrainian civilians resisting occupation have also adopted ” Ї ” — a letter not found in the Russian alphabet — in opposition to Russians settling in the area, according to reports.