In a decree by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin published on Monday, Moscow announced to facilitate access to Russian nationality for all Ukrainians, extending a measure which until now applied to the Ukrainian territories it occupies.
“Citizens of Ukraine (…) have the right to apply for citizenship of the Russian Federation according to the simplified procedure”, one can read.
To establish its influence over its neighbors, Russia is already accused of distributing Russian passports, particularly in the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in Georgia, and that of Transdniestria, in Moldova.
Like Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are former Soviet republics with pro-Western ambitions.
A procedure already approved in Zaporizhia and Kherson
The measure taken on Monday by decree 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 in view of annexation by Russia, while residents of the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk already have access to Russian nationality via Moscow.