in normal times, this wouldn't stand. but...here we are.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday Moscow is considering fast-tracking Russian citizenship for all Ukrainians, not only those living the war-torn parts of eastern Ukraine.

Putin made his comments during a press conference at the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, Russian state news agency TASS reported.


This comes days after Putin signed a presidential decree that would allow people who permanently reside in certain areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions to apply for Russian citizenship through a simplified process.


The EU condemned the decree Thursday “as another attack on Ukraine's sovereignty by Russia.” The plan also drew condemnation from the U.S. and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.


The Russian government said that the new decree is designed to help people on humanitarian grounds, “protecting human and citizens’ rights and freedoms.”


Putin’s new comments were met with outrage from Ukrainian officials.
https://www.politico.eu/article/vlad...an-in-ukraine/