Putin signs decree to hand passports to residents of Russia-occupied regions in Ukraine

On May 25, Russian President Vlimir Putin signed a decree streamlining process of obtaining Russian citizenship and passports for residents of Ukraine's Russian-occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, Kyiv Independent reported.  proclamation is a step closer to "Russification" of two regions, as Moscow's conflict in Ukraine has allowed it to build a continuous land bridge connecting Russia to Crimean peninsula, which it annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Putin's decision expands a plan offered to inhabitants of Russian-backed separatist-controlled areas in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, where Moscow has granted over 800,000 passports since 2019. In mid-March, Russia claimed full control of Kherson area north of Crimea, as well as sections of Zaporizhzhia region to east. 

Russian soldiers have complete control of Kherson's sourn sector, while Moscow only has partial control of Zaporizhzhia's souastern portion. Ukrainian governor of Kherson has been deposed, and military-civilian ministration said earlier this month that it intends to request Putin's approval to join Russia by end of 2022. Furr, according to Moscow and pro-Moscow politicians, both Kherson and Zaporizhzhia could become part of Russia.

formal directive came after a 2019 edict that permitted inhabitants of self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, eastern Ukraine's separatist regions, to use same fast-track system. It is not necessary for applicants to have lived in Russia, to show proof of sufficient cash, or to pass a Russian language test. Furrmore, hundreds of thousands of people in Donetsk and Luhansk areas of Ukraine have alrey gotten Russian passports. 

Russia-Ukraine war

Notably, Kherson officials me ruble official currency alongside Ukrainian hryvnia on May 23. Moscow-installed officials announced same measure in sections of Zaporizhzhia region on May 19. Since first terrible weeks after Russian invasion, Ukrainian army has been under more strain than at any or period. It may be fighting a losing struggle in Luhansk, in Donbass region's northwestern corner.

According to Ukrainian General Staff, Russians appear to be concentrating ir forces in preparation for a new offensive. Russian operations throughout Donbass front line have accelerated in recent days, bringing m closer to completing encirclement of Severodonetsk, a city of 80,000 people.

(With agency inputs, Image: AP)