The decree of the President of the Russian Federation, which approves simplified procedures for leaving Ukrainian citizenship and acquiring Russian citizenship, is null and void and shows Russia's unwillingness to negotiate.
This is stated in the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The ministry noted that the decree signed by Putin on December 26 testifies to the desire of the Russian leadership to continue the war, absorb the territory of Ukraine, forceful assimilation and genocide of the Ukrainian people.
"The forced imposition of Russian citizenship on citizens of Ukraine, who as a result of Russian aggression found themselves in inhumane conditions and were deprived of the fundamental right to freely choose citizenship, confirms the criminal nature of the totalitarian Russian regime," the statement reads.
Putin's decree is addressed to citizens of Ukraine who live or live in the temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhуa and Kherson regions.
"The procedure for issuing Russian passports to Ukrainian children and teenagers between 14 and 18 years of age who were forcibly moved to the territory of the Russian Federation, which was introduced without the consent of the recipients, is a flagrant violation of basic human rights and proof of the genocide of Ukrainians by Russia," - they emphasized at the press conference.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regards this document as another crime by Russia against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, which grossly violates the Constitution and laws of our country, the current norms of international law and Russia's international obligations.
"The consequences of this and other worthless regulatory acts of the Russian Federation against the citizens of Ukraine will not have any legal consequences, will never be recognized by Ukraine or the vast majority of UN member states. The decree supplements the list of crimes in the course of Russia's armed aggression, which will be considered within the framework of the international tribunal on the leadership of the Russian Federation," the statement reads.