Putin's citizenship mandate: Control, compliance, or deportation?
Putin's decree on the alleged "regulation of the status of foreigners in Russia" aims to gain complete control over Ukrainians on Russian territory and, in the occupied regions, gradually force them to take Russian citizenship. "This means ethnic cleansing," says Dr. Wojciech Siegień, an expert on Russia from the University of Gdańsk.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on March 20, 2025, requiring Ukrainians residing in Russia to legalize their status by September 10; otherwise, they will have to leave the country. The new regulations also include mandatory medical examinations for "foreigners," implicitly Ukrainians, located in territories annexed by Russia. What is the real intent behind these regulations?
"These actions are essentially ethnic cleansing, aiming to erase Ukrainian identity. In the Russian-occupied territories, residents are forced to explicitly declare their allegiance, ultimately resulting in the need to accept Russian documents," comments Dr. Wojciech Siegień, an expert in Russian propaganda analysis and author of the podcast "Eastern Bloc" on the Krytyka Polityczna website.
"Those who do not comply must leave or face deportation. Russia expects that the subsequent generations raised in these areas will undergo Russification over time. This process is already underway in the Donbas region, occupied since 2014," he adds.
According to Dr. Siegień, the occupied territories are areas where Russia is intensifying its efforts to erase Ukrainian identity through forced assimilation, potential ethnic cleansing, humiliating controls and surveillance, and the stigmatization of the population. This stigmatization is evident in the requirement for mandatory HIV and drug tests for Ukrainians.
According to Ukrainian statistics, before the Russian invasion, more than 8.5 million people lived in the occupied regions of Ukraine. About 2 million of them emigrated or were evacuated to both Ukraine and Russia. Between 200,000 and 500,000 people currently reside in the Kherson region, which Russia annexed, although records differ between Russian authorities and the Ukrainian administration. Approximately 350,000 Ukrainians are estimated to remain in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Russia's efforts to "regulate" the status of Ukrainians: humiliating tests
The decree mandates that Ukrainians residing in Russia must either legalize their stay or leave the country by September 10, 2025. Analysts at the Center for Eastern Studies suggest that this date may not be coincidental, as the progress in integration with the Kremlin should be announced on September 30, "Unity Day with Russia."
The decree also imposes mandatory HIV and drug examinations on people living in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics and in the occupied territories of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions (by June 10). These actions are viewed as typical of colonial and eugenic policies.
Russian media, such as TASS and Gazeta.ru, present these regulations as necessary for "ensuring legal stability" and "protecting Russia's national interests." TASS cites the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs' justification, claiming that many Ukrainians have not regularized their status, allegedly posing a "threat to national security."
What is Russia's true goal?
Analysis of the decree and statements from Russian officials suggest that the Kremlin seeks several key objectives, foremost among them strengthening control over Ukrainians in Russia. The authorities aim to fully identify and register all Ukrainian citizens residing within its borders. Those who fail to comply with the new regulations may face deportation or restrictions on movement and employment.
The requirement for medical examinations, including HIV and drug tests, in annexed regions, not only serves an administrative purpose but may also be a tool of psychological pressure. Implementing additional procedures may compel individuals resistant tothe Russian administration to leave these areas.
Dr. Siegień stresses that the policy of eradicating Ukrainianness has been pursued in Russia since 2014 and intensified after the full-scale war began in 2022. He references the Russian term "zhdun" (derived from the Russian word "zhdat," meaning to wait).
"Russians use this term disparagingly towards those who 'sit quietly' in cities like Luhansk, Donetsk, parts of Zaporizhzhia, or Crimea, awaiting the return of Ukrainian authority. A zhdun is portrayed as a secret 'betrayer' or potential collaborator. These regulations target such individuals," he concludes.
In November 2024, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs proposed restricting residency rights for Ukrainians who, among other criteria, have been convicted of crimes or pose a threat to "social stability." The new regulations could be used to eliminate individuals deemed inconvenient by Russia.
Increasing the number of Ukrainians accepting Russian citizenship
Since 2022, Russia has implemented a "passportization" policy, encouraging or coercing residents of occupied territories to accept Russian citizenship. In May 2022, Putin simplified the procedures for obtaining it for residents of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson and subsequently for all Ukrainians. Gazeta.ru reports that in 2024, around 600 Ukrainians applied for Russian passports.
Russian media openly state that individuals who do not comply with the new regulations will be deported. TASS also notes that authorities have expanded the powers of migration and police officers, allowing them to make quick decisions about expelling foreigners without lengthy legal processes.
