Under the new decree signed Monday by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian nationals may now apply for Russian citizenship. The decree covers stateless persons living in Ukraine and citizens of the two Donbass republics, as the Kremlin previously recognized them as independent.
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Ukrainians can now apply for citizenship without presenting the regular requirements requested by foreigners. This new decree was primarily designed for the citizens of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and the residents of the two southern Ukrainian regions under the Russian army's control.
Those living in territories controlled by the two Donbass entities had access to a simplified procedure introduced in 2019, allowing them to get their citizenship paperwork processed in just three months. By February this year, already 950 000 Ukrainians had applied and 770 000 of them had become Russian citizens.
The decree issued on Monday by the Russian President explains that those at the service of Donbass militias and local law enforcement authorities in the region are also eligible to apply for Russian citizenship. Putin highlighted that their status as foreign military personnel could not be used as a reason to deny them citizenship.
By May, Moscow had included the people of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions in the south of Ukraine among those eligible for the citizenship scheme. Putin released a document later in the same month that designated orphaned children from the Donbass republics and Ukraine as suitable for processing as well.