Follow the main events on our live blog about the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Saturday that wants to simplify the stay and work of hundreds of thousands of people who left Ukraine for Russia since the beginning of the invasion.
Under the new “temporary measures”, Ukrainian passport holders, as well as residents of the pro-Russian breakaway territories of Donetsk and Lugansk in southeastern Ukraine, will be able to stay in Russia “without a time limit”.
Until now, these people could only officially stay in Russia for 90 days, out of a maximum period of 180 days, and for longer stays it was necessary to obtain a work permit or a special permit.
The persons in question now have “the right to carry out a professional activity in Russia without a work permit,” the decree specifies.
However, to take advantage of this measure, those interested must submit to a registration with a fingerprint, photo identification and drug and infectious disease detection tests.
The decree also prohibits the expulsion from Russia of Ukrainian citizens, except those released from prison or considered a threat to Russia’s security.
In another decree, Vladimir Putin ordered the payment of social assistance to vulnerable people (pensioners, disabled, pregnant women) who had to leave Ukraine and the separatist territories.
According to Moscow, 3.6 million people, including 587,000 children, have fled Ukraine for Russia since the Kremlin’s large-scale offensive against kyiv that began in late February.
The Kremlin encourages Ukrainian refugees to travel to Russia and has opened reception centers across the country.
However, some of the Ukrainian refugees, often helped by activists, managed to leave Russia for European Union countries.
In July, the Kremlin made it easier for Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship, a move denounced by kyiv as a way to assert Moscow’s influence in conquered territories.
The military offensive launched on February 24 by Russia in Ukraine has already caused the flight of almost 13 million people -more than six million internally displaced persons and almost seven million to neighboring countries-, according to the latest UN data, which places this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since the Second World War (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion—justified by the Russian president on the basis of the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security—was widely condemned by the international community, which has responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia. in all countries, sectors, from banking to energy and sports.
Russia and Ukraine exchange accusations for the attacks on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
Source: Observadora
