Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with workers and wards of The Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 6, 2025.Vladimir Putin has issued millions of Russian passports to Ukrainians who live in occupied land, according to the UK.Russia currently controls around a fifth of Ukraine’s territory, having seized the peninsula of Crimea in 2014 and invaded four more regions in 2022.Putin has since declared all five areas to be part of Russia – despite not having full authority over them – and pressured Ukrainians in the area to adopt Russian citizenship.There are now fears the White House will force Ukraine to cede that occupied territory to Russia – one of Putin’s demands – just to secure a quick peace deal.According to the latest update from the UK’s Ministry of Defence, the Kremlin says it has now issued 3.5 million Russian passports to Ukrainians in the occupied land, up from the 2.8 million reported a year ago.The MoD said Ukrainians have faced intense restrictions if they did not accept the passports – although they will now be eligible for conscription, too.The officials said: “Russia makes access to services in occupied regions, including social services, healthcare and financial services, conditional on the receipt of Russian passports.“Possession of a Russian passport also constitutes eligibility for conscription into the Russian military.“Ukrainians without a Russian passport also face the seizure of their property by the authorities.”According to The Moscow Times, Ukrainians who do not have a Russian passport are classified as foreign nationals.The MoD also said this move proves how Russia’s senior leadership is still pushing for “Russification”.The officials said: “Russian efforts to enforce governance in illegally occupied territory, and to coerce and compel Ukrainians to accept Russian passports, demonstrate the Russian senior leadership’s continuing commitment to, and pursuit of, a Russification policy.”Ukraine has previously condemned Russia for its illegal bid to erase Ukrainian identity.But, while Donald Trump is looking to secure a quick peace agreement with Ukraine and Russia, Moscow’s ambassador to the UK claims the US has not yet discussed what will happen with that occupied territory yet.Andrey Kelin claimed Moscow has not “seriously” discussed whether Ukraine’s occupied land should be given to Russia with the US just yet.“I don’t think we have discussed it seriously,” he said, while adding that from “what I have read, the Americans actually understand the reality” of what is happening on the ground.Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 07 March 2025.Find out more about Defence Intelligence’s use of language: https://t.co/bpIko91OIs#StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/9oyU4o7SIN— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 7, 2025Related…Trump’s Defence Secretary Had A Sharp 3-Word Response To Claim US Has Adopted Pro-Russia StancePutin Has Slowed Down The Speed Of Russian Offensives In Ukraine, UK SaysDonald Trump Says Ukraine Is Now Ready For US Mineral Deal And Peace With Russia Politics, Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, ministry of defence, russia, ukraine, vladimir-putin, ministry-of-defence HuffPost UK – Athena2 – All Entries (Public)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with workers and wards of The Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 6, 2025.Vladimir Putin has issued millions of Russian passports to Ukrainians who live in occupied land, according to the UK.
Russia currently controls around a fifth of Ukraine’s territory, having seized the peninsula of Crimea in 2014 and invaded four more regions in 2022.
Putin has since declared all five areas to be part of Russia – despite not having full authority over them – and pressured Ukrainians in the area to adopt Russian citizenship.
There are now fears the White House will force Ukraine to cede that occupied territory to Russia – one of Putin’s demands – just to secure a quick peace deal.
According to the latest update from the UK’s Ministry of Defence, the Kremlin says it has now issued 3.5 million Russian passports to Ukrainians in the occupied land, up from the 2.8 million reported a year ago.
The MoD said Ukrainians have faced intense restrictions if they did not accept the passports – although they will now be eligible for conscription, too.
The officials said: “Russia makes access to services in occupied regions, including social services, healthcare and financial services, conditional on the receipt of Russian passports.
“Possession of a Russian passport also constitutes eligibility for conscription into the Russian military.
“Ukrainians without a Russian passport also face the seizure of their property by the authorities.”
According to The Moscow Times, Ukrainians who do not have a Russian passport are classified as foreign nationals.
The MoD also said this move proves how Russia’s senior leadership is still pushing for “Russification”.
The officials said: “Russian efforts to enforce governance in illegally occupied territory, and to coerce and compel Ukrainians to accept Russian passports, demonstrate the Russian senior leadership’s continuing commitment to, and pursuit of, a Russification policy.”
Ukraine has previously condemned Russia for its illegal bid to erase Ukrainian identity.
But, while Donald Trump is looking to secure a quick peace agreement with Ukraine and Russia, Moscow’s ambassador to the UK claims the US has not yet discussed what will happen with that occupied territory yet.
Andrey Kelin claimed Moscow has not “seriously” discussed whether Ukraine’s occupied land should be given to Russia with the US just yet.
“I don’t think we have discussed it seriously,” he said, while adding that from “what I have read, the Americans actually understand the reality” of what is happening on the ground.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 07 March 2025.
Find out more about Defence Intelligence’s use of language: https://t.co/bpIko91OIs#StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/9oyU4o7SIN
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 7, 2025
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