Ukrainian Minister Urges Residents of Occupied Territories Not to Take Russian Passports and to Avoid Cooperation with Invaders

Vice Prime Minister – Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk called on residents of the temporarily occupied territories not to take Russian passports and not cooperate with the enemy in any way.

Source: Vereshchuk in Telegram

Details: The minister recalled that last week the Russians adopted their next decree aimed at further restricting the rights of Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories.

According to Vereshchuk, the invaders want Ukrainians to either become Russians or leave the temporarily occupied territories. But she is convinced that, firstly, it is impossible to turn Ukrainians into Russians even with the help of forced passportization, and secondly, the invaders will not stay in Ukraine for a long time.

Direct speech Vereshchuk: “My recommendations to Ukrainians at HERE remain the same:

• do not take Russian passports;
• do not cooperate with the occupiers;
• leave if possible;
• wait for the APU.”

Details: The minister also added that on May 1, the Ministry of Reintegration once again appealed to the Russian side and the International Committee of the Red Cross with a demand to open humanitarian corridors so that Ukrainians with WTO could travel to government-controlled territory.

Background:

• On April 27, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing the deportation of residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine who did not accept citizenship of the Russian Federation.
• The Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights Dmitry Lubinets advised Ukrainians in the occupied territories to take Russian passports in order to survive, or to leave the occupied territory in any way.