Putin issues ultimatum to Ukrainians in Russia
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree requiring Ukrainians who are "illegally staying in Russia" to either leave the country or legalize their status by September 10, according to the official legal information portal.
"Ukrainian citizens who are in the Russian Federation without legal grounds for stay (residence) are required to leave the Russian Federation on their own or regulate their legal status in Russia by September 10, 2025," the decree signed by Putin states.
The decree also includes provisions for foreign citizens and stateless persons who entered the territories of the self-proclaimed DPR (Donetsk People's Republic) and LPR (Luhansk People's Republic), as well as the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, before it came into force.
Suppose they have stayed in these territories for more than 90 days without being engaged in labor activities or arrived for work but have not undergone the required medical examination. In that case, they are obliged to undergo a medical check-up by June 10, 2025.
Additionally, they must submit to the territorial offices of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs proof of not using narcotic and psychotropic substances without a doctor's prescription, a certificate confirming the absence of dangerous infectious diseases, and a document certifying the absence of HIV infection.
Passportization in occupied territories of Ukraine
Earlier, we reported that in the occupied territories of Ukraine, Ukrainians are, to put it mildly, being forced to obtain a Russian passport. Initially, residents of Donbas were issued "passports" of the so-called DPR and LPR. Possessing these documents was a prerequisite for later obtaining a Russian passport.
For individuals who remained under occupation and, for various reasons, did not leave for Ukraine-controlled territory, a Russian passport provided more opportunities, as they were artificially restricted in many aspects of life.
In April 2019, Putin issued a decree simplifying the process of acquiring Russian citizenship, eliminating the requirement to first obtain a DPR or LPR passport.
However, in the temporarily occupied areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, there has been strong resistance to forced passportization. To coerce people into obtaining Russian passports, the occupation authorities have tied access to administrative services, social assistance, medical care, and other essential services to the possession of Russian documents.
