Personal choice

The distribution of Russian passports to the residence of the Moscow-controlled Ukrainian city of Kherson shows the firm resolution of Russia to make the city of Kherson a part of Russia (“First Ukrainians receive Russian passports in occupied south,” June 12, Gulf Today website).

Russia’s TASS agency said 23 Kherson residents received a Russian passport at a ceremony through a “simplified procedure” facilitated by a decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in May.

On the occasion of Russian passport distribution, the regional administration’s pro-Moscow chief Vladimir Saldo was quoted as saying by TASS:  “All our Kherson residents want to obtain a passport and (Russian) citizenship as soon as possible.” The Kherson authorities said the timing of the passport distribution was chosen with Russia Day in mind. Majority of people who live in the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine speak Russian and the Russian President Vladimir Putin considers them as Russian.

After the Kremlin decree authorising the local authorities to grant Russian passports to local residents, a bunch of fortunate Kherson people rewarded with the Russian passport and the reported pictures of people who received Russian passports show the level of happiness on their faces is commendable.  Despite Ukraine denouncing the move as a “flagrant violation” of its territorial integrity, saying Putin’s decree was “legally void,” people of Kherson want to avail the Russian passport and be part of Russia.

Naveed Tahir,
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