For a week, passions have not subsided around the Kremlin’s decision to simplify the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for residents of the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions not controlled by Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin’s decree was condemned by France, Germany, Poland and a number of other EU countries, not to mention Ukrainian top politicians. Guarantor Petro Poroshenko, who has not lost his powers, called the decision another step towards Russian aggression, and newly elected President Vladimir Zelensky posted a post on Facebook that sounds not only indignation, but also a hint of irony and response.
Meanwhile, residents of ORDLO are faced with difficult questions: will they benefit from big political games and what threats exist.
With triple “citizenship”
Passports of citizens of the Russian Federation will be issued in the Rostov region - a center for issuing documents for residents of the “LPR” is already operating in test mode; on April 30, the same one opened for the “DPR”. According to information on social networks, those who want to receive a book with a double-headed eagle do not even have to travel abroad. Document collection points with the functions of passport officers at housing and communal services offices have opened in Lugansk and Donetsk. They will accept it - they will take it away, they will process it - they will bring it and hand it over against signature. Service...
“As far as I heard, 200 people have signed up in Lugansk so far,” says Nikolai, one of the residents of Lugansk. — According to the simplified procedure, not everyone can receive Russian passports, but only those who previously received “LPR” passports (the same thing in Donetsk, — Ed.). People are also confused by the fact that they are not asked to hand over their Ukrainian passport, as was the case in Crimea. We already have a joke among our people: “We will be citizens of one republic and two states.”
Most of all, the innovation saddened the elderly, of whom no more than 20% (according to Russian media) have the documents necessary for citizenship. Benefits in the “LPR” and “DPR” were assigned to pensioners based on Ukrainian passports, and the elderly did not want to beat their legs for nothing.
But even if now they all rush to get the passports of the self-proclaimed republics, they cannot count on a Russian pension. The Pension Fund of the Russian Federation has already reported that only those who move to Russia for permanent residence and receive a residence permit can count on their care. Ukraine must pay pensions to those remaining in ORDLO.
This once again indicates that the decision is more political than social in nature.
How to obtain Russian citizenship for citizens of the DPR and LPR?
You need to collect the necessary documents and contact the migration service department.
First of all, you need to collect the necessary documents. Their list is small; originals and copies must be submitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs:
- Identity document. There must be a mark indicating registration on the territory of these republics;
- Certificates: about marriage or its dissolution, the birth of children, which are indicated in the application for registration of Russian citizenship;
- A document confirming the change of last name, first name and patronymic, as well as citizenship of another state.
The list is small. The assembled package is attached to the application for Russian citizenship for residents of the LPR and DPR. The appeal is made on a formalized form.
and a sample application can be found using the links below:
Application for obtaining Russian citizenship for residents of the LPR and DPR (103 Downloads)
Sample application for Russian citizenship for residents of the LPR and DPR (97 Downloads)
Where to contact?
It is indicated above that the application is submitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which presupposes a trip and official stay in the territory of the Russian Federation. But this is not necessary. Documents for Russian citizenship can be submitted to the LPR, on whose territory the migration service department located 17 divisions and 8 administrative service centers in the spring and summer of 2021. In November, another branch opened, which is located in the Leninsky district of the capital of the LPR.
On average, the capacity of one such department is up to 100 people. But some citizens who are in the territory of the Russian Federation to work or for another purpose can submit documents at their temporary location. You must have with you documentary evidence of your official stay in Russia.
How long to wait for Russian citizenship?
The period for consideration of the application is regulated by the above decree and should not exceed 3 months. The countdown starts from the day when a written appeal is submitted along with a package of documents.
The applicant is considered a citizen of Russia from the day when a positive decision is made based on his written appeal. He can receive a passport later, but before it is presented he is considered a Russian citizen with all the ensuing consequences, rights and responsibilities.
Therefore, before a citizen of the LPR or DPR obtains Russian citizenship, it is recommended that he carefully familiarize himself with the current Russian legislation. Lawyers, information web resources, and educational programs will come to your aid.
"They are there"
— Putin’s decree is a game of raising the stakes. The Russian leadership is unhappy that Vladimir Zelensky has focused on the West and the European Union. The newly elected president already has a lot of problems today, but let him understand that if Donbass is integrated into Ukraine - and I think this will happen - there will be even more difficulties. Thus, Russia wants to force Zelensky to start negotiations as soon as possible. Let it be in the Normandy format,” says political scientist Nikolai Spiridonov.
The expert believes that Russia is unlikely to decide on large-scale aggression in Donbass.
“She already has a lot of problems.” But with the distribution of our passports, “we are not there” can be transformed into “we are there.” And this is a different level of requirements,” notes Nikolai Spiridonov. “This is a declaration of possible readiness to return Donbass on our own terms, while maintaining a good face.
Our interlocutor also puts forward a conspiracy theory.
— Now the Kremlin seems to be playing along with Poroshenko. With his declared anti-Russian position, he was an understandable and convenient sparring partner,” the political scientist believes. — And Zelensky is an unknown figure. The sooner you put him in an uncomfortable position, the faster he will open up. Russia definitely needed his reaction.
Demographic calculation
Political scientist Alexey Yakubin believes that in addition to political calculations, the Russian Federation pursued certain pragmatic goals.
— It seems to me that the decision was made before the second round of elections, it was just postponed to wait for the results. Residents of ORDLO have been in an uncertain state for five years. Those who relied on Russia are increasingly dissatisfied. Putin’s decree is an attempt to at least slightly relieve social tension, to show some kind of concern,” says Alexey Yakubin. “At the same time, Russia has demonstrated that it does not draw parallels between Donbass and Crimea. By leaving Ukrainian passports, she seemed to make it clear that she was not ready to take full custody of these territories, but only temporary and partial support.
There is another reason.
— In Russia, like other countries, the demographic issue is now acute. Fewer people are born than die. In addition, Russia is concerned about the increase in the non-Slavic population. Able-bodied residents of ORDLO with Russian passports, if they want, will be able to move and get settled on their own - without government assistance. The rest are unnecessary ballast, says Yakubin.
According to Russian media, in recent years, about 250,000 “DPR” passports and 150,000 “LPR” passports have been issued. Nowadays, the overwhelming majority of such documents are received by teenagers who, for various reasons, cannot obtain passports on the territory of Ukraine.
Passport for humanitarian purposes
The document comes into force on the date of its publication. After which, residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics will be able to contact the units of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, where they will receive a Russian passport through an expedited and least bureaucratic procedure. Naturally, if the candidate meets all the necessary requirements, primarily regarding security issues.
To make decisions on each application for the desire to acquire Russian citizenship, the police are allocated no more than 3 months from the date of submission of the package of documents.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the FSB, the National Guard and the heads of the regions where the units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will be located, accepting applications for citizenship, have been instructed to take measures aimed at implementing the decree, as well as to ensure conditions for applicants to take the oath of a Russian citizen.
“The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs is currently working on mechanisms for implementing the presidential decree. It is planned that applications from this category of citizens will be accepted through authorized persons of the DPR and LPR and will be considered in the Rostov region, where all the necessary conditions for this are available, including material and technical resources and blank products. In the event of a positive decision to acquire citizenship, the specified persons in the Rostov region will be issued passports of a citizen of the Russian Federation within up to 3 months,” the press center of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported last night, adding that residents of the DPR and LPR, if desired, will be able to obtain a foreign passport there as well. .
As explained in the text of the decree, the decision was made by the Russian president “in order to protect the rights and freedoms of man and citizen and on the basis of generally recognized principles and norms of international law.” However, Vladimir Putin himself explained yesterday why this decree was adopted.
“We have no desire to create problems for the new Ukrainian government, but to tolerate a situation in which people living on the territory of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics are generally deprived of any civil rights, this is already crossing the line from the point of view of human rights. They cannot move normally, they cannot realize their most basic needs and rights. This is a purely humanitarian issue,” the Russian leader said in St. Petersburg at a meeting with members of the Council of Legislators of the Russian Federation.
Simplifying the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship, according to Putin, is advisable for moral, political, and even economic reasons. But the head of state called for this to be done carefully. “This is a delicate question. I am a supporter of simplifying these procedures as much as possible, but we cannot fail to pay due attention to security requirements and other issues,” Putin explained.
The decision, naturally, caused a negative reaction in Ukraine. Many were perplexed why it was adopted just a few days after the election of the new president of Ukraine. After all, logically one could expect steps from the new Ukrainian leader to normalize the situation in Donbass.
But, as political scientists explain, during the election campaign Vladimir Zelensky managed to make a sufficient number of statements on the topic of Donbass, from which one can easily draw conclusions about his position. There were rumors on this topic even after the election.
In general, Zelensky clearly made it clear that Donbass will not have a special status, just as there will be no amnesty law. It turned out that Zelensky’s attitude towards the Minsk agreements is even more negative than what Poroshenko demonstrated.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Rostov region will accept applications from residents of the DPR and LPR. In addition to the Russian one, you will also be able to get a foreign passport there.
Since it became clear that the new head of Ukraine was not going to implement the Minsk agreements, Russia had no choice but to decide to allow residents of the self-proclaimed republics to obtain Russian citizenship.
According to estimates by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, as of the end of 2021, the number of people affected by the conflict in south-eastern Ukraine amounted to 5.4 million people, of which 3.5 million are in need of humanitarian assistance. About 600 thousand people live directly along the contact line, including 100 thousand children.
People in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine live virtually under fire. Official Kyiv unilaterally severed ties with the population, making their residents de facto stateless.
The acquisition of Russian citizenship will enable residents of the DPR and LPR to receive additional measures of social support, which many of them need in a situation of economic blockade by Ukraine. For many today it is a matter of survival. At the same time, for the youth of Donbass, if they wish to obtain Russian citizenship, the opportunity will be open to enter and study at our universities on the conditions common to Russian applicants.
It is important to note that Russia does not impose citizenship on the residents of Donbass, but only provides them with the opportunity to apply for it if they wish. Another important detail is that the possibility of being granted Russian citizenship in a simplified manner does not require renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship. The simplified procedure is that compliance with general conditions is not required, namely: residence in the Russian Federation with a residence permit for at least 5 years, the presence of a legal source of livelihood, renunciation of citizenship of a foreign state, and knowledge of the Russian language.
According to the Main Directorate for Migration Issues of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, in the period from April 1, 2014 to April 2, 2021, 925,548 citizens from the south-eastern regions of Ukraine entered the territory of Russia and did not return. During this period, over 334 thousand citizens of Ukraine applied to acquire Russian citizenship; in 2019 alone - 16,925 people. These numbers speak for themselves.
But, naturally, there were many who liked to criticize the decisions of the Russian authorities, not only in Ukraine, but also within the country. “The people who are most outraged by the decision to simplify the issuance of passports to residents of Donbass are those who have been arguing for several years that Russia betrayed the people who relied on it,” commented the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, on the situation.
“This is a very important decision for us, we see that Russia continues to support us, and this is also proof that five years ago we made the right choice,” commented Elena Molchanova, deputy chairman of the DPR Trade Union Federation. “Having received passports of citizens of the Russian Federation, residents of the republic will feel more protected.”
The head of the Russian Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, Konstantin Kosachev, noted that by simplifying admission to citizenship, Russia does not violate any international legal norms or its obligations, since determining the parameters for granting citizenship is the sovereign right of each country. This decree, according to him, does not contradict the Minsk agreements.
“The measure is humanitarian, not political. It was we, unlike official Kyiv and Western politicians, who from the very beginning considered people, not territories, as a priority. In the conditions prevailing there, many people have no choice but to obtain Russian citizenship,” the senator noted.
By the way, by providing residents of Donbass with the opportunity to obtain citizenship in a simplified manner, Russia is not even creating a precedent. After all, since 2009, certain categories of Ukrainians have been granted Romanian citizenship, and Hungary has been actively granting citizenship to its compatriots in recent years.
Can't be deprived
Currently, nothing is known about the preferences that residents of ORDLO will receive by obtaining Russian passports. But there is a lot of talk about the punishment that fell on the heads of the apostates. The Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons has already stated that all of them will automatically lose their Ukrainian citizenship. This is an emotional impulse that does not always agree with reality.
“At the moment, these people cannot be deprived of citizenship or brought to any responsibility, because Ukrainian jurisdiction does not operate in those territories, Ukrainian courts do not work,” notes lawyer Ivan Liberman .
Even when the entire Donbass returns to Ukrainian control, these people will remain our fellow citizens. According to Ukrainian laws, dual citizenship is not prohibited; it is not recognized. That is, Russian citizenship, from the point of view of our law, simply will not exist for them.
“Citizenship can only be deprived by a presidential decree or by court,” says lawyer Alexey Sirotin. — In order for the norm to operate “automatically,” the Rada must pass a special law. For example, consider as non-citizens everyone who issued Russian passports in such and such a period under such and such circumstances. But this will be a voting right that contradicts international norms. And citizens of another state in Ukraine are sufficiently protected by current legislation to apply repressive measures to them. If, again, a law is passed establishing administrative or criminal liability, this will be a violation of the UN Convention on Human Rights.
According to the established procedure in the world, diplomatic missions are not obliged to exchange information about which country’s citizen has been granted second citizenship. In most countries of the world, including Russia, double patriotism is not condemned. But nowadays any database can become available to the general public.
Legislative innovations
The general rules for granting Russian citizenship are determined by Federal Law No. 62-FZ, in force since May 2002 and detailing the grounds for foreigners to apply for Russian citizenship. The possibility of applying a simplified scheme for assigning Russian citizenship to those living in the Donbass (including the LPR) was introduced with the signing of the following presidential decrees in 2021:
- No. 183, called to solve problems of a humanitarian nature and allowing certain categories of persons to apply for Russian citizenship in a simplified manner;
- No. 187 – affected those registered on the Ukrainian territory of the Lugansk region, but who managed to leave for the LPR;
- No. 343 – extending the right to obtain a Russian passport under a simplified scheme to all residents of Donetsk and Luhansk (including residents of these regions and territories controlled by Ukraine).
People registered in the LPR no longer need to go through the procedure of obtaining a temporary residence permit and residence permit. Documents can be processed remotely, without visiting the Russian Federation, and the decision-making period does not exceed three months.
“We count on him to keep his word”
Some saw Vladimir Zelensky’s reaction to the “Kremlin attack” as a threat, while others saw it as a promise.
“Citizenship of Ukraine is freedom, dignity and honor... This is what we have defended and will defend. Ukraine will not give up its mission to serve as an example of democracy for post-Soviet countries. And part of this mission will be to provide protection, asylum and Ukrainian citizenship to all who are ready to fight for freedom,” the new president wrote, making it clear that Ukraine is also ready to consider the issue of citizenship for the enemies of its enemies.
— Poroshenko should have done this. In 2015, he promised to simplify obtaining Ukrainian citizenship for those who defended it on the Maidan and in the war, says Right Sector speaker Artem Skoropadsky. - But he didn’t. In five years, only five of those who fought received a Ukrainian passport, although there are thousands of them. We did not vote for Poroshenko, we did not vote for Zelensky, but we read his address and expect that he will keep his word.
Why does Russia distribute citizenship to residents of the DPR and LPR?
Russia is distributing citizenship to residents of the LDPR for humanitarian purposes.
Despite the fact that the decree itself was issued, as declared, for humanitarian purposes, to “protect the rights and freedoms of man and citizen,” the reason for the simplified issuance of Russian citizenship for Ukrainians lies deeper. Such measures are aimed at preventing a decrease in the population of Russia and are components of the state’s migration policy.
In addition, it is an instrument of political pressure in response to the unfriendly policies of a neighboring state. Experts suggest that the next step could be a decree extending the simplified mechanism described above for obtaining Russian citizenship to all citizens of Ukraine, and not just the territories mentioned above.
Such a step in the near future will increase the population of Russia by several million able-bodied citizens. And this is an additional incentive both in the country’s economy and in its domestic and foreign policy.
