**Russia’s Deadline for Ukrainians in Occupied Territories**
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree that forces Ukrainians living in occupied territories to choose between submitting to Russian law or facing punishment. The deadline is September 10.
**A Simple Choice, but Not Really**
The decree appears to give Ukrainians a choice: accept Russian citizenship and be part of Russia’s territory, or face the consequences. However, this choice is not as simple as it seems. Those who refuse a Russian passport will have no access to basic rights like healthcare, pensions, or property.
**A Tried-and-Tested Tactic**
This is not the first time Putin has used this tactic. He has done it in other occupied territories, like Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, and Transnistria in Moldova. In these areas, locals have been given a fast-track route to Russian citizenship.
**A Circle with No Escape**
In occupied Ukraine, authorities have made it difficult for people to use Ukrainian documents. Those who refuse a Russian passport are often forced into “detention centers,” where they face violence and intimidation. There is no clear path out of these areas.
**The Myth of Deportation**
Those who refuse Russian passports also face the threat of deportation, but this does not mean being sent back to Ukraine or another country. In fact, many are simply kept in detention centers with little information on their fate.
**Forced Demographic Change**
As Russia makes it harder for Ukrainians to stay in their homes, they are encouraging Russians to fill and distort the demographic gap. This is already happening in occupied Crimea, where a significant number of people living there now are Russian citizens who came from Russia after the annexation in 2014.
**A Worrying Trend**
It seems that Putin’s tactics are working. Occupied Ukrainian oblasts are being portrayed as “Russian-speaking” areas where the majority want to be under Russian rule. This is a worrying trend, especially for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.