TIL Desk/World/Moscow/ Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new decree fast-tracking Russian citizenship for some Ukrainians despite concerns the move will exacerbate the crisis between the countries.
Under a decree published Wednesday, several categories of Ukrainian nationals will have the right to a simplified nationality process including those who already have Russian residence permits.
Other categories include Ukrainian citizens who were born in Crimea but left the peninsula before Russia annexed it in March, 2014.
The fast-track procedure is implemented to protect “rights and human and civil freedoms”, said the decree which Putin signed on Monday.
The move comes after a comedian with no political experience, Volodymyr Zelensky, won a landslide victory in presidential elections in Ukraine last month.
