“Citizens of Ukraine (…) have the right to apply for citizenship of the Russian Federation according to the simplified procedure”, is it indicated in a decree of President Vladimir Putin published on Monday.
This measure extends to all Ukrainian nationals this procedure already approved in May for the inhabitants of the Ukrainian regions of Zaporijjia and Kherson, which Russia has largely occupied since its offensive launched in February against its Ukrainian neighbor. The occupation authorities of these two regions have already announced that they are working on a referendum with a view to annexation by Russia.
Moscow also already allowed access to Russian nationality for residents of the two Ukrainian regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, whose independence the Kremlin has recognized, paving the way for its February 24 offensive.
Russia is accused of distributing Russian passports to its neighbors to establish its influence there. Before Ukraine, it did the same in the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in Georgia, and that of Transdniestria, in Moldova.
Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are all former Soviet republics with pro-Western ambitions.