Putin Forces Citizenship Choice on Ukrainians in Occupied Zones

Vladimir Putin has signed a decree ordering Ukrainians in occupied territories to take Russian citizenship or leave. The edict sets a September 10 deadline for compliance in regions Russia claims. It escalates Moscow’s efforts to tighten control over annexed Ukrainian land.

The decree affects millions in Donetsk Luhansk Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces. Putin’s forces have held parts of these areas since 2014 with more seized in 2022. Residents now face a stark choice under threat of expulsion.

Ukrainian officials denounced the order as illegal and coercive. They accuse Russia of trying to erase Ukrainian identity in occupied zones. Kyiv urges citizens to resist despite the risks of defying Putin’s rule.

Moscow frames the policy as a generous offer of citizenship to locals. It has issued over 1 million Russian passports in these territories since the war began. Critics say it’s a tool to justify conscripting Ukrainians into Russia’s army.

Those who refuse face deportation to an uncertain fate beyond the front lines. Reports suggest some have already been forcibly removed for noncompliance. The decree deepens the humanitarian crisis in the conflict zone.

Putin’s move follows his pattern of imposing Russian law on captured regions. It mirrors tactics used in Crimea after its 2014 annexation by Moscow. The international community has condemned such actions as violations of sovereignty.

Ukraine vows to reclaim all occupied land and free its people from Russian grip. The decree heightens tensions as fighting grinds on with no end in sight. Putin appears dug in for a long battle to Russify the territories.

Western leaders call the policy a war crime aimed at breaking Ukrainian resistance. Sanctions have failed to deter Putin’s aggressive push so far. The September deadline looms as a grim test for millions caught in the crossfire.