Russians coerce occupied Ukrainians with essential aid as passportization push intensifies
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Russia has devised a new way to speed up the passportization of the local population intemporarily occupied territories, the Defense Ministry’s National Resistance Center (NRC) reported on Jan. 17.
In Russian-held territories of Kherson Oblast, occupation authorities will distribute much-needed gas cylinders to those who do not have a central gas supply only if they hold a Russian passport. The occupation administration also distributes coal to residents of the region.
However, the Russians are forced to allow those who hold a Ukrainian passport to "vote" in sham elections, since most residents refuse to receive a Russian one.
Russia sent FSB officers into the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson Oblast to intensify the passportization campaign. The FSB searches the homes of locals and checkspersonal documents, the NRC has reported. The ultimate goal is to force residents of the region to apply for Russian passports.
The mayor of the temporarily occupied Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, previously reported that,from Jan. 1, 2024, Russian occupation authorities are going to officially make Ukrainian citizens in the occupied territories "aliens." That means that, if residents refuse to receive a Russian passport, they will need to apply for either a migration card, a residence permit, or a work permit with fingerprints in order to remain in their own homes.
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