Olga Matvienko, an immigration official in Donetsk, said the number of people who applied for Russian citizenship have increased in recent weeks as tensions rose in Ukraine.
She said the procedure has been much simplified and only took one to three months. Donetsk residents who have applied for Russian passport said having Russian citizenship gives them a sense of protection from their powerful neighbour.
Read: 8 Jiang Ye vessel crew members allowed to return to Indonesia, not yet paid for six months
“Relatives (in Russia) told us that Putin will not abandon us and that everything will be fine,” said Nelya Dzyuba, a 62-year-old retiree. Many residents also say the passport is useful for traveling to Russia and enjoying benefits such as free health care. (rr)