Almost everyone in Berlin's southeast Karlshorst district knows them—two corners blighted by abandoned three-story buildings with rotten window frames. Locals call them the "Russian houses." For almost 50 years, they were home to families of Soviet and, later, Russian officers. But in the summer of 1994, when Russia withdrew its last troops from Germany, the buildings were left empty. Thirty years later, they remain owned by Russia, contributing to Berlin's ongoing housing crisis.
Lilia Usik, a Ukrainian-born member of Berlin's state parliament, proposed that the empty buildings be seized and handed over to Ukrainian authorities. According to her research, there are at least 66 apartments in the 'Russian houses.' She stated, "My initiative is to transfer these houses to Ukraine as part of the sanctions. Ukraine can then sell them or give them back to Germany. This way they could be returned to the real estate market in Berlin, which is in crisis."
Locals have repeatedly called on Berlin authorities to address the vacancy, with growing pressure due to the city's housing shortage. One resident expressed frustration with the state of the buildings, saying, "Actually, the owner, which is Russia, should be forced to do something positive here—either demolish, rebuild or renovate. It's a shame that this place is such an eyesore."
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