- Russia has introduced a new law which requires Ukrainian children in occupied Ukrainian territory to possess a Russian passport in order to travel abroad (aside from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Russian-occupied regions of Georgia). The law, which reportedly took effect from 20 January 2026, applies to all children under the age of 14 within Russia and the Ukrainian territories Russia annexed
- The Russian law is highly likely intended to increase the difficulties for Ukrainians with children seeking to leave those areas of Ukraine currently under Russian control. It also amounts to a further addition to the Russian senior leadership’s long-standing Russification policy in occupied Ukrainian territory, which seeks to extirpate Ukrainian culture, identity and statehood.
- This follows Russian President Putin’s 20 March 2025 decree that mandated Ukrainian nationals living in Russia, or in sovereign Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia, to ‘settle their legal status’ by 10 September 2025, or leave the territory. This was almost certainly intended to compel Ukrainian nationals living in areas under Russian control to accept Russian passports and citizenship. Male Ukrainians aged 18-30 who hold Russian passports are liable for conscription into the Russian military.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 11 February 2026.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) February 11, 2026
Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/Afc3fLQcCk #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/1j2BS6j7xU
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