“This week, the European Commission and the EU’s foreign service have sent guidance to EU member states and non-Schengen countries on how to process visa applications submitted by residents of the uncontrolled territories of Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine,” the EC said.

It is clarified that the rules were prepared in connection with the requests of the EU countries to give recommendations on the identification and non-recognition of passports of residents of the DNI and LC, issued in accordance with the decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the European Commission, residents of the DPR and LPR to apply for a Schengen visa must apply to the consulates of the EU countries in Ukraine, "regardless of the travel document that they have."

Earlier, a deputy from Germany Renata Alt was indignant at the fact that the authorities put visas on Russian passports received by residents of Donbass.

On April 24, the Russian leader signed a decree on a simplified procedure for obtaining Russian passports by residents of the LPR and DPR.