‘Passportization’ of Donbas: Cabinet of Ministers declares Russian documents invalid, preparing sanctions

08.05.2019 14:29

Ukrinform

The Government of Ukraine prepares a list of Russian officials, who are involved in organizing the process of issuance of Russian passports in occupied areas of Donbas and Crimea, for the imposition of personal sanctions.

“We are preparing now a list of officials of the Russian Federation to impose personal sanctions on them in coordination with international partners. The first step has already been taken,” Vadym Chernysh, the Minister of Ukraine for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, told reporters after the Cabinet’s meeting, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to him, the Ukrainian side knows perfectly well who are involved in this process.

The minister also noted that the Government had approved two decisions on invalidation of passports, which the Russian Federation will issue to Ukrainians in the occupied territories, and non-recognition of the bodies that had been authorized by Russia to issue such documents to Ukrainian citizens. “All documents, which will be issued by these bodies, will be invalid,” Chernysh stressed.

As reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to provide the residents of the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions with the right to acquire Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure.