Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner has advised his compatriots in the occupied territories to accept Russian passports if necessary. The deputy head of the government in Kiev contradicts this: Ukrainians are not allowed to cooperate with the occupying forces.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshuk contradicted the advice of the Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets that Ukrainians in occupied territories should accept Russian passports if necessary. “Who said that the Russians will stay in the temporarily occupied territories for so long?” Vereshchuk wrote on Telegram. In her opinion, it is impossible to make Russians out of Ukrainians.
“Do not cooperate with the occupiers”
Deportation of Ukrainians from areas under Russian control is also impossible due to the lack of “humanitarian corridors”. The 43-year-old asked Moscow and the International Red Cross to allow an orderly exit to the Ukrainian-controlled area. In addition, the Minister’s recommendations regarding the population of the occupied territories remained valid. “Do not accept Russian passports, do not cooperate with the occupation forces, leave the country if possible, wait for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Vereshuk said.
“To survive, that’s the main thing.”
Lubinets had previously advised his compatriots in the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine to obtain Russian citizenship if necessary. According to local media reports, he said “to stay, that’s the main thing”. The government would respond sympathetically to this, because the naturalizations were taking place under pressure.
Lubinets “categorically” spoke out against the criminal prosecution of Ukrainians who accepted Russian citizenship in order to “survive”. However, the organizers of the naturalization process, who are seen as “collaborators”, are exempt from impunity.
Ukrainians will soon be considered foreigners
A few days ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree according to which Ukrainians in the regions officially annexed by the Kremlin last October will be considered foreigners from July 1, 2024. Without a residence permit, Ukrainians and other foreigners are threatened with deportation.
After invading more than 14 months ago, Russia, including Crimea, which it illegally annexed in 2014, now controls nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that all regions would be recaptured by the end of the year. The long-declared Ukrainian counteroffensive is expected to begin in May.
