Vladimir Putin signed a decree on a simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for residents of the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions of Ukraine.

The decree comes into force from the date of signing.

The new document amends the Presidential Decree “On the definition for humanitarian purposes of the categories of persons entitled to apply for admission to the citizenship of the Russian Federation in a simplified manner” dated April 24, 2019.

Taking into account the amendments introduced by the new decree of the President of the Russian Federation, citizens of Ukraine, the Donetsk People's Republic or the Luhansk People's Republic, permanently residing in the territory of the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye region of Ukraine or Kherson region of Ukraine, will be able to apply for citizenship of the Russian Federation in a simplified manner. 

It follows from the previous document that the consideration of applications for admission to citizenship and the adoption of decisions on them should be carried out within a period not exceeding three months.

It should be noted that since the entry into force of the decree that allowed residents of Donbass to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner, according to data for April 2022, about 800 thousand people took advantage of this opportunity.

Commenting on the adoption of this document in 2019, Putin noted that it was a question of a purely humanitarian nature, due to the situation with the civil rights of residents of the Donbass republics.

“To tolerate a situation in which people living on the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk republics are generally deprived of any civil rights is already crossing the line in terms of human rights,” the President said during a meeting with the Council of Legislators on April 24, 2019 of the year.

Member of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Dmitry Belik, in an interview with RT, noted that the presidential decree was another proof that Russia does not leave people in trouble.

“Our country is ready to lend a helping hand and take under its wing the civilian population affected by the criminal activities of the Kyiv regime,” the parliamentarian said.

He noted that Moscow demonstrated this in 2014, when Crimea and Sevastopol returned to Russia.

Belik stressed that we are talking about restoring historical justice.

“And now the will of the people plays a dominant role - Russia will support them in their choice and protect them,” he concluded.

Also on russian.rt.com Deputy head of the administration of the Kherson region Stremousov spoke about the attitude of residents towards Russia

Integration of the liberated territories of Ukraine into the Russian space

Earlier it became known that the authorities of the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions had taken a number of decisions aimed at integration with Russia.

In particular, at the end of May, representatives of the civil-military administrations of both regions announced the introduction of dual-currency zones, which provide for settlements both in hryvnia and in rubles.

Along with this, in the Kherson region they spoke in favor of creating a Russian military base in the region.

As Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the military-civilian administration of the region, said, such a decision will guarantee the security of the region, the entire population of the Kherson region is interested in it.

On May 25, Stremousov also told RIA Novosti that the authorities had begun creating centers for issuing Russian passports in the region.

In addition, the head of the military-civilian administration of the region, Vladimir Saldo, said on the air of Channel One that the first applications for obtaining Russian citizenship were transferred to the regional administration.

Also on russian.rt.com From May 23, a dual-currency zone is introduced in the Kherson region

In an interview with RT, political scientist Ruslan Balbek noted that a simplified procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship means accelerated integration of the liberated territories.

“After all, people there are now thinking about how to live on: they are not on the way with Ukraine, but for Russia they are foreigners,” the expert said in an interview with an RT correspondent.

He noted that after the signing of the decree, the path of development of the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions was outlined.

“This is a single economic and mental space with Russia,” the political scientist concluded.