Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree this Friday that makes the entry of Ukrainians into Russia more flexible, providing visa exemptions and allowing border crossing with national documents and without the need for a passport.
The decree, which does not specify whether the rule is limited to Ukrainians residing in territories occupied by the Russian army or in any part of Ukraine, states that citizens of the neighboring country “may enter Russia through its land border through of neighboring countries”.
The decree was published on the legal information portal of the Russian Government, and stipulates that Ukrainians will be able to enter Russian territory without the need for visas, simply by presenting their identity document.
Documents for national use such as the sailor’s card, the airplane crew card, the birth certificate (for minors under 16 years of age), as well as any passport, whether common or diplomatic, will also serve for these purposes.
The new rule allows Ukrainians to enter the country even if the indicated documents “have expired.”
If these documents are not available, Russia will allow entry to its territory, as an exception, on the basis of a “foreign citizen identification” document issued by the Russian Ministry of Interior.
According to Russian authorities, the number of Ukrainian refugees who entered Russia after the start of the war is around 5.3 million, a fifth of whom did not have documents when they arrived in the country.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported last February that the number of Ukrainians who fled the country as a result of the war exceeded eight million people, a figure that fell to 6.3 million. in June.
The military offensive launched on February 24, 2022 by Russia in Ukraine caused, according to the most recent UN data, the worst refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion – justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security – was condemned by most of the international community, which has responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing duties on Russia. political and economic. sanctions.
Source: TSF
