Russia fast-tracks citizenship for Ukrainians

Before Monday, only residents of the eastern Donbas region and two southern regions — now largely under Russian control — had access to a faster citizenship process. Now, all Ukraine residents, including non-residents, can get a Russian passport through a simplified application. Ukrainian officials said the process was a way for Russia to control residents of the occupied states. Before the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote in an essay that Russians and Ukrainians are one people, denying that Ukraine is an independent nation. He also introduced the ruble in occupied Ukrainian territory.

What’s happening on the ground? On Monday, Russian shelling killed at least six people and injured 31 in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city. Russia said the missiles struck nationalist battalions, but Ukrainian officials said the missiles only hit civilian structures. On Saturday night in eastern Ukraine, at least 15 people were killed and 20 trapped after Russian shells hit an apartment building. Rescuers are still searching the rubble. 

Dig deeper: Read WORLD’s latest coverage of the war in Ukraine.