Russia admits issuing almost 530,000 passports to residents of CADLR

Russia has issued almost 530,000 passports to residents of the occupied territories of eastern Ukraine under simplified procedure.

As TASS Russian news agency reports with reference to the press center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, almost 2,000 residents of the occupied territories were denied Russian citizenship.

Pursuant to the decree signed by president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in 2019, residents of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADLR) and Ukrainian citizens, who lived in Crimea in March 2014, can apply for expedited Russian citizenship.

The European Union expressed deep concern about Russia's continued issuance of passports to residents of CADLR, which is contrary to the Minsk Agreements and is a clear violation of Ukraine's sovereignty.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba believes that Ukraine's allies give a very gentle response to Russia's issuance of passports to residents of the occupied territories of Ukraine.

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