On Monday, President Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled proposed legislation that could facilitate the granting of Ukrainian citizenship to foreigners who have actively fought against Russian forces in Ukraine. Since the onset of Russia’s invasion, thousands of foreign volunteers have rushed to aid Ukraine in resisting Moscow’s attempts to gain control and overthrow the Ukrainian leadership.
In a social media post, Zelensky expressed gratitude to the foreign volunteers who have taken up arms in defense of Ukraine, stating, “Foreign volunteers who took up arms to defend Ukraine, all those who fight for Ukraine’s freedom as if it were their homeland. And Ukraine will become such for them.” The proposed legislation aims to formalize the process of Ukrainians obtaining dual citizenship, with the exception of Russia.
Additionally, Zelensky announced the signing of a decree titled “On the Territories of the Russian Federation Historically Inhabited by Ukrainians,” without providing specific details. He mentioned that the purpose of the decree is to advance “the restoration of truth about the historical past for the sake of Ukraine’s future.”
Apart from receiving a significant influx of Western-supplied weapons, Kyiv has witnessed the participation of citizens from various countries fighting alongside Ukrainian forces on the front lines. Notably, units comprising Belarusians and Russians have joined the conflict, even though both states are designated as “aggressor countries” by Kyiv, as Russian forces have also attacked Ukraine from Belarusian territory.
On a different note, President Vladimir Putin, on January 1, 2023, announced that Moscow would escalate strikes on military targets in Ukraine following an unprecedented attack on the Russian city of Belgorod. The attack in Belgorod, which occurred on a Saturday, resulted in the death of 24 people and left over 100 wounded. Putin, during a visit to a military hospital on Monday, emphasized Russia’s commitment to intensifying strikes on what he termed “military installations,” asserting that no crime against civilians would go unpunished.
