Russian President Vladimir Putin's decree threatening Ukrainians with deportation from occupied territories and Russian territory violates international law, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said on March 21.
"We emphasize that these systematic deportations and persecutions are part of Russia's genocide policy against the Ukrainian people," Tykhyi said.
According to the decree, Ukrainian citizens residing in Russia and occupied Ukrainian territories must leave by Sept. 10 or "regulate their legal status."
The decree intensifies Moscow’s efforts to Russify conquered areas by pressuring Ukrainians to accept Russian passports or forcing them out while encouraging Russian citizens to move in.
Putin's decree also mandates that all "foreign citizens and stateless persons" residing in the occupied territories must undergo medical screenings for drug use and infectious diseases by June 10.
Tykhyi denounced the decree as null and void, calling it another step in Russia’s campaign of discrimination, persecution, and forced displacement of Ukrainian citizens.
The spokesperson also said it contradicts Moscow's claims of readiness for a peaceful settlement and undermines initiatives to establish peace.
"The Kremlin is once again demonstrating that its true goal is to destroy Ukrainian statehood and persecute Ukrainian citizens," he added.
Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and declared the annexation of partially occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in 2022, treating them as Russian territory despite international condemnation.
As Russia continues to occupy roughly one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, the fate of these regions is expected to be a major topic in peace negotiations pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said territorial issues will be among the most difficult aspects of any negotiations and reiterated that Ukraine will not recognize Russian rule over its land.
Since 2014, reports of abuse, torture, and repression in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories have increased, escalating further after the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
