Jul 11, 2022 - World

Putin decree extends fast-track citizenship to all Ukrainians

Ivana Saric

People clear debris of a house — People clear debris in the village of Pidgayne in Ukraine on July 9. Photo: Sergei Chuzavkov/AFP via Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday extending a simplified process for obtaining Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians.

Why it matters: The fast-track procedure was previously only available in certain parts of Ukraine, and the move to expand it signals Russia's aim to broaden its influence inside Ukraine.

The big picture: Putin initially signed a decree offering a fast-track Russian naturalization process to residents of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2019.

In May, eligibility for the procedure was extended to the largely Russian-occupied regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, AP reported.
Last month, Russian forces handed out Russian passports to Ukrainians living in the occupied cities of Kherson and Melitopol.
Ukrainian officials have not yet responded to the extension of the program to all Ukrainians, per AP.

Go deeper: Russia issues passports to Ukrainians living in two occupied cities

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Putin decree extends fast-track citizenship to all Ukrainians

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