NOVOSHAKHTINSK, Russia – It has been over a week since Russia started issuing passports to inhabitants of the occupied Donbas using the simplified system. Russia claims there are lots of applicants, but the procedure is still in the testing phase. Russian President Vladimir Putin promises to change the rules and make the procedure even more convenient for those Ukrainians who want to become Russian citizens. At the same time, Ukrainian and European diplomats condemn Russia’s actions on a daily basis calling them a violation of the Minsk treaties.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
Hromadske: Occupied Donbas residents receive Russian citizenship – special report
A boy walks past an advertising billboard with a poster that reads "Defend the Donbas" calling to serve in the Russia-led forces, in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on Nov. 15, 2018.
