© Sputnik/ Maks Vetrov
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree “On recognition in the Russian Federation of the documents and license plates of vehicles issued to Ukraine’s citizens and persons without citizenship, who permanently reside in the areas of certain districts of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Lugansk regions.”
Russia now officially recognizes passports and other documents issued in the Donetsk People’s Republic (LPR) and in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR).
The Kremlin’s press service said that it had been done “so as to protect rights and freedoms of a person and a citizen and in accordance with generally accepted principles and norms of international humanitarian law.”
The decree will work “until a political solution is found to the situation in certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine on the basis of the Minsk agreements.”
“The Russian Federation recognizes the identity documents, education and/or qualification documents; certificates of birth, marriage (divorce), change of name, death; vehicle ownership certificates and license plates of vehicles issued by relevant bodies (organizations), de facto operating in the given areas, to citizens of Ukraine and persons without citizenship permanently residing in those areas,” the document reads.
Now, persons who permanently live in DPR and LPR will be able to enter Russia and leave it without applying for visas, just upon presenting IDs issued by relevant bodies de facto operating in the given areas.
A good move and hope those in Kiev do not get their hands on the documents, for their own benefits.
slippery slope
Seems like a rational move to me. As the Kiev forces seem likely to press militarily , the need for a vetted evacuation of those being attacked may be necessary . A wide open boarder is not in Russia’s best interest , but a controlled documented policy of accepting war refugees is in all Russians interest.
This has been Russia’s most important step since admitting the Crimean Republic into the Russian Federation.