Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacts to forced imposition of Russian citizenship on residents of occupied territories

Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a message on its website.

Ministry noted that on December 26, the Russian President signed a so-called decree on the procedure for acquiring Russian citizenship by citizens of Ukraine who lived or live in the temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine.

"The decree, which approves simplified procedures for renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship and acquisition of Russian citizenship, is null and void and testifies to Russia's unwillingness to negotiate, the desire of its leadership to continue the war, the absorption of the territory of Ukraine, forced assimilation and genocide of the Ukrainian people," Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

"Forced imposition of Russian citizenship on citizens of Ukraine, who as a result of Russian aggression found themselves in inhumane conditions and were deprived of the fundamental right to freely choose citizenship, confirms criminal nature of totalitarian Russian regime," Ministry added.

Also, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the forced passportization of teenagers "is a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights and proof of Russia's genocide of Ukrainians."

They emphasized that the document signed by Putin violates not only the Constitution of Ukraine but also current norms of international law and Russia's international obligations.

• Recently, the mayor of Melitopol stated that the Russian military is not releasing residents of temporarily occupied territories of the Zaporizhzhia region.