Ukraine’s MFA slams Putin's new decree as forced expulsion of Ukrainians, violating international law

RBC-Ukraine reported the information.

“Yesterday, we witnessed the latest Russian decree—this is not the first such document mandating the forced expulsion of Ukrainian citizens who are in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and in the Russian Federation without any so-called legal grounds,” Tykhyi said.

He described it as a “null and void act” and an “additional step in Russia's campaign of discrimination, persecution, and forced displacement of Ukrainian citizens from their homeland, or compelling them to acquire foreigner status.”

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson stressed that Russia continues to violate fundamental principles of international law, specifically breaching at least three international legal documents with this decree. These include the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, the 1907 Convention on the Laws and Customs of War on Land, and UN General Assembly Resolution 2022, which demands that Russia cease violating Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Moreover, we emphasize that these systematic deportations and persecutions are part of Russia's genocidal policy against the Ukrainian people. Even the Genocide Convention clearly defines that the forced displacement of populations, children, and national groups constitutes an attempt to destroy a national group,” Tykhyi added.

• On March 20, Vladimir Putin signed a decree requiring Ukrainian citizens who are in the temporarily occupied territories and in Russia to either "resolve their situation" or leave.