MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/: About 60,000 residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics have been granted Russian citizenship since the beginning of this year. More than 225,000 people in these republics have been granted Russian citizenship since the presidential decree on the issue came into force last year, the press center of the Russian Interior Ministry informed TASS.
"More than 225,000 residents of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Lugansk regions were granted Russian citizenship in 2019 and 58,000 in 2020," the press center said in response to an inquiry from TASS.
It also noted that, taking into account the decisions made by the president, the migration situation in the country has changed substantially. "The number of individuals who have been granted Russian citizenship grew by 85% compared to 2018 amounting to about 500,000," the ministry said.
On April 24, 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree enabling people living in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics to receive Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure. According to the document, the decision has been made "in order to protect human rights and freedoms" based on universally accepted international laws. The first passports were issued in Russia’s Rostov Region on July 14.
