Russia has accused the European Union of "discrimination against the Donbass residents" because of the non-recognition of Russian passports and passports of the so-called "DNR/LNR" they received. This is stated in the message of the Russian Federation MIA.
As noted in a comment by the Information and Press Department of the PF MIA, initiating a criminal case on the compulsory issuance of passports of the "republics" to the residents of Donbass by the prosecutor generalˈs office of Ukraine is the "top of cynicism". Allegedly, the passportization of residents of the occupied part of Donbass was a necessary measure in response to the blockade declared by Ukraine.
The Russian department also claims that the EU does not recognize the passports of Russian citizens, which Russia issued to residents of the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts "for humanitarian reasons" and which were changed to passports of the so-called "republics".
"The EU states also joined the tactics of strangling the Donbass residents. Some EU countries decided not to recognize Russian passports issued to the Donbass residents for humanitarian reasons and not to issue Schengen visas in them, as was done with respect to the Crimean residents. We consider this a direct discrimination and violation of human rights", - the Russian MFA considers.
Let us recall that the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine appealed on February 14 to the International Criminal Court in The Hague regarding the issuance of passports of the unrecognized republics to the residents of Donbass.
As explained in the Office of the Prosecutor General, they document evidence of the "violent policy of the occupation administrations of the Russian Federation" on the distribution of passports of the "pseudo-republics".
According to the Prosecutor Generaˈs Office, about 300 thousand passports of the so-called "DNR" and about 200 thousand of the "LNR" were issued.
As previously reported, 144 million rubles ($2.26 million) would be spent in the Russian Federation to open 4 more passport issuing points for residents of CADLO.