In the frontline areas of Ukraine, there is an abnormal rise in rental prices for housing for military personnel. Despite the difficult situation at the front, property owners often demand rental prices for ordinary rural houses that exceed even those in central or western regions of the country.
This is reported by Finway
Inflated Prices and Rental Denials for Military Personnel
According to Ihor Lutsenko, a serviceman and co-founder of the Center for Aerial Reconnaissance Support, rental costs in frontline villages often reach 20, 30, or even 40 thousand hryvnias per month. This refers to houses that have been empty for a long time, often lacking water supply or other basic amenities.
“The prices for houses and apartments in frontline areas are such that they can consume combat pay and cannot be compared to any elite region of Ukraine: what can Lviv and Kyiv do about it! They ask for 20, 30, 40 thousand hryvnias for an ordinary rural house, where there is no water, where no one has lived (probably because they were disgusted) for years – this, unfortunately, is the norm,” he said.
Moreover, a significant number of landlords refuse to provide housing specifically to military personnel, justifying this by their service. Such cases do not become a subject of broad public discussion, and servicemen are forced to endure inflated prices and discrimination.
Positive Examples and the Role of Local Communities
Despite the difficult situation, there are positive exceptions. Some patriotic citizens offer housing to military personnel for free or assist with accommodation. Certain local communities organize support for servicemen, but such cases remain rare.
Overall, as Lutsenko emphasizes, the state and local governments have not yet paid sufficient attention to the issue of providing housing for the defenders of the country, leading to significant difficulties for those who are defending Ukraine at the front.