President of Russia Vladimir Putin On Monday signed a decree extending the status of rapid Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians.
Until recently, only residents of Of Ukraine the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as residents of the southern regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, most of which are under Russian control, were eligible for simplified procedures.
Ukrainian officials have yet to respond to Putin’s announcement.
Between 2019, when this procedure was first applied to residents of Donetsk and Luhansk, and this year, more than 720,000 residents of rebel-held areas in the two regions – about 18% of the population – were get a Russian passport.
At the end of May this year, three months after Russia invaded Ukraine, the expedited procedure was also made available to residents of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. A month ago, the first Russian passports were said to have been distributed there.
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