President Vladimir Putin has ordered Ukrainian citizens of Russia to “legalize” immigrant status to Russian citizens or leave the country by September 10, according to an executive order released Thursday.
Ukrainians “having no legal basis to stay or reside in Russia” must leave within the next six months and 10 days, unless they “settle their legal status,” the order says.
The order appears to be applied to Ukrainian passport holders in four partially occupied regions: Donetsk, Luhansk, Herson and Zapolizia, whom Russia claims to have annexed in 2022 from Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014.
In recent years, Russian authorities have pressured Ukrainians to assume Russian citizenship in occupied areas. Earlier this month, Putin claimed that the government had “effectively completed” the massive issuance of Russian passports in these regions last year.
Russian comedian and human rights official who was beaten during arrest in Belarus says
According to Home Minister Vladimir Korokortsev, 3.5 million Russian passports have been issued Ukrainian citizens living in territory seized by Russian troops
Ukraine has accused Russia of so-called “passports” of “illegal” and “a total violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.” While the EU has not recognized the passport as a valid travel document, Western governments and human rights groups have denounced the move.
Putin’s order has made it easier for Russian authorities to banish immigrants, following the introduction of a series of immigration laws last month.
The latest order requires foreigners who have arrived in the Ukrainian region, which was occupied before Russia’s annexation in September 2022, to undergo drug and HIV testing by June 10th.
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