Donetsk, Mar 29 – DAN. Almost 250,000 Donetsk People’s Republic residents have obtained Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure, said DPR Head Denis Pushilin.

“The rate of obtaining Russian passports has accelerated, we are approaching the 250,000 benchmark. We must do everything so that all those willing receive Russian passports,” he said.

On April 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the degree on determining groups of foreign nationals eligible to obtain Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure.

The document  eases Russian citizenship rules for residents of the Donbass Republics.

The first Russian passports were issued to DPR residents on June 14. DPR residents have to travel to Russia’s Rostov region to receive the document. An applicant must show their DPR passport to apply for Russian citizenship. As of now, 6,808 DPR residents have received Russian passports.*ot