The migration
situation in Russia has changed substantially, according to the interior
minister.
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.
