The decree ordered that “all citizens of Ukraine” be given “the right to apply for admission to the citizenship of the Russian Federation in a simplified manner”.
In May, Putin already fast-tracked citizenship for residents of two regions of Ukraine — the southern region of Kherson, which is almost entirely under the full control of Russian troops, and the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, which is partially controlled by Moscow.
In 2019, a similar decree allowed the same simplified procedure for residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, eastern Ukraine’s breakaway regions.
Moscow and pro-Moscow officials in areas controlled by Kremlin troops have said they could become part of Russia.
© Agence France-Presse
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