According to the russian Interior Ministry there are about 2.8 million residents in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) of Ukraine who are now russian passport holders. Russia makes access to services in these regions, including social services and healthcare, conditional on the receipt of russian passports, the UK Defense Intelligence reports.
In April 2023 russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree stating that residents of the TOT who refuse russian passports will become foreign citizens or stateless persons. Such persons have the right to live in the TOT only until 1 July 2024.
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There is a realistic possibility that any individuals in the TOT after this date who do not have a russian passport will be deported or face detention. Recent rhetoric from the deputy chair of russia’s National Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, indicates individuals might be deported to remote parts of russia.
The Kremlin is pursuing a relentless russification policy in the TOT. Another decree on military districts issued on February 26, 2024 states that the TOT will now become part of the tussian Southern Military District. The Kremlin is seeking to make the integration of the TOT into the russian federation irreversible.
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