Warsaw City Hall intends to reclaim properties illegally occupied by the Russian embassy. Among them is the landmark housing estate at 100 Sobieskiego Street, nicknamed "Spy." The blocks are to be converted into apartments for refugees from Ukraine.
A graffiti depicting the flags of Poland and Ukraine recently appeared on top of one of the two interconnected blocks. In a way, it's a preview of the function the capital's City Hall is planning for the reclaimed properties. Last week, the city filed a request with the bailiff to initiate enforcement proceedings in the case.
final judgment
The property has been occupied by the Russian Federation for four decades. The legal basis is intergovernmental agreements that provided for the use of the buildings for diplomatic purposes. These functions, however, the blocks no longer serve for many years. The court battle for the return of the property is also years in the making. The final judgment in the case was issued in 2016. At the time, the court ordered the surrender of the illegally occupied property and the repayment of more than PLN 7 million owed, plus interest.
Despite the many attempts made by both the Warsaw City Hall and the Foreign Ministry - the buildings remained in the possession of Russia. The enforcement application is expected to end these efforts.
monuments of modernism
photo Architecture / UM Warszawa
The two blocks on Sobieskiego Street contain more than a hundred residential units. After their recovery and modernization, the city plans to allocate them for families with children who lost their homes due to Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The buildings have been listed as historic landmarks for five years. The architects working on its design were Piotr Sembrat and Janusz Nowak, and Eng. Andrzej Krawczyk was responsible for the construction.
The building at 45 Kielecka Street
photo: Masty / Wikimedia
Other properties subject to similar proceedings include a pre-war edifice at 45 Kielecka Street, once owned by tenor Jan Kiepura. A high school run by Russians operates there.
