The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemns the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, which opens the way to forcing the inhabitants of the territories temporarily occupied by the Russian army in Kherson and Zaporizhia regions to acquire Russian citizenship.
That’s according to a statement by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Ukrinform reports.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that illegal passportization in Kherson and Zaporizhia, as well as in Crimea and the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, is a gross violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, norms and principles of international humanitarian law, as well as obligations undertaken by the Russian Federation as an occupying power in accordance with Article 45 of the Hague Convention of 1907 and Article 47 of the Convention for the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949.
The diplomats stressed that Putin’s decree is legally null and void. The decision will not change the fact that the residents in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia are citizens of Ukraine.
Forced passportization of Ukrainians in Kherson and Zaporizhia regions is yet one more evidence of the criminal goal of Russia’s war against Ukraine – the conquest of Ukrainian territories for their further occupation and integration into Russia’s legal, political, and economic space,” the ministry said.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that Ukraine calls on the international community to stop Russia, which is committing crimes against the country and Ukrainians on a scale unknown in Europe since World War 2. Kyiv also demands the EU immediately adopt the sixth EU sanctions package, which will include an embargo on Russian oil, and start work on the seventh sanctions package.
In addition, the Foreign Ministry called on international partners to speed up decisions on further provision of weapons to Ukraine, especially multiple rocket launch systems, to protect Ukrainian territories from Russian aggression.
“Procrastination will only encourage the Putin regime to continue committing crimes against Ukraine and destroying peace and security in Europe,” the diplomats said.
Source: Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry calls on world to stop Russia from issuing more passports to Ukrainians
