Ukrainian President Zelensky says Russian passports in the rebellious regions in the east of the country are the first step towards annexation by Russia.
According to Zelensky, Russia has done this before. “This also happened in Crimea, where Ukrainians were given Russian passports.
It is the first step towards annexation, and it is worrying.” Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014.
Fighting has been going on in eastern Ukraine since 2014. There, separatists are trying to secede from Ukraine with the help of Russia. There is currently an official truce, but it is regularly violated.
Russia recently gathered many soldiers on the border with Ukraine, which caused increased tensions. Many of those soldiers have been taken away from there.
