Russian authorities have developed plans for the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, which Russia claims as its own and partially occupies. According to the Ukrainian analytical project DeepState, this amounts to approximately 116,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory that have been severely impacted by the conflict. Russian forces in these areas have repeatedly employed scorched earth tactics, destroying homes and critical infrastructure, often leaving the occupied territories in ruins and without access to basic services such as electricity or running water.

The strategy aims for these Ukrainian territories to be fully integrated into the economic system of the Russian Federation by the year 2045. Plans include the construction of 9.8 million square meters of new housing, along with 143 kindergartens and 24 primary and secondary schools. In terms of transportation, the Russian project proposes the construction and reconstruction of over 3,270 kilometers of roads, nearly 430 kilometers of railway lines, nineteen railway stations, and port facilities, indicating a long-term vision to solidify control over these regions.

However, this endeavor has drawn criticism, as it represents another potential war crime amid ongoing hostilities. The plans have been met with skepticism regarding the feasibility and ethical implications of attempting to promote tourism within areas that have faced substantial destruction and suffering due to the war. This situation raises serious concerns about the future of these regions and the consequences for their original inhabitants, who may still remain in dire conditions long after the war has ended.