Putin brought Donbass back to life – Union of Political Emigrants of Ukraine
The issuance of Russian passports to residents of the People's Republics is celebrated in the squares of Donbass and Odessa kitchens. They are squealing about it in the gutters of the Kyiv authorities, and the UN Security Council is even organizing an emergency meeting.
Larisa Shesler , leader of the Union of Political Emigrants of Ukraine, told PolitNavigator observer Valentin Filippov about the difficulties that, God willing, will never arise when obtaining Russian passports paid for in blood.
Valentin Filippov : Larisa, hello. I congratulate you on this great and bright holiday.
Larisa Shesler : Yes, I was thinking today about the poem, "What do the sparrows chatter about on the last day of winter? We've survived, we've survived, we're alive, we're alive." And this day is just like the last day of winter, which those who remain alive will greet with pure joy.
Valentin Filippov : Okay, let's be a little cynical about these passports for the DPR and LPR.
Larisa Shesler : Sober. Let's not be cynical, let's be sober.
Valentin Filippov : Tell me, what's more in this decree? Is it grand politics, a desire to squeeze Ukraine, a desire to fill Russia's demographic hole, or does it represent a truly firm stance by the Russian Federation on Novorossiya, or at least the DPR and LPR?
Larisa Shesler : I think there are more signs of a geopolitical U-turn here than anything else. I see today as a historic day, one that, in my mind, is close to the day Russia recognized Crimea. It may sound pompous today, but for the past five years, Russia has been retreating, retreating. "...it was annoying, we waited for battle, the old men grumbled: 'Why are we going to winter quarters? Don't our foreign commanders dare tear their uniforms on Russian bayonets?'" And now, finally, today, it seems to me like some kind of Borodino Day. Because a strong signal has been sent. That's it, there can be no turning back. Because as soon as a mass of Russian citizens appears on the territory of the DPR/LPR, all this talk about the Minsk agreements, about the reintegration of Donbas into Ukraine, can be closed, finished; this page is turned and will never be returned.
Valentin Filippov : Well, okay, if that happens, it could set off a chain reaction across Ukraine. Once these regions leave, the next ones will follow.
Larisa Shesler : Naturally. I think the Kremlin has realized that there's no way to make a deal with this Ukraine; it's pointless. What makes me happy? So many people were so enthusiastic about these election results, practically electing a pro-Russian candidate. But judging by Zelenskyy's position and Moscow's reaction, everyone understands that this is absolutely not the best option for Donbas or for Russia. A man has come to power who will continue the policy of Russophobia, only portraying it with soft gloves. And this smooth transition to the United States will create the illusion that this can be negotiated.
Valentin Filippov : Well, we weren't all happy because we were counting on Zelensky, but because they'd already gotten to Zelensky. As the saying goes, they've had enough of the mice.
Larisa Shesler : There, people demonstratively showed Poroshenko that his "army, faith, language" rhetoric is being negatively received, as is his tomos, his rhetoric, his "get away from Moscow," and so on. Of course, there are many positives in this campaign, for us and for Russia. Nevertheless, everyone understands perfectly well from Zelenskyy's rhetoric that Donbas shouldn't expect improvement, so what else is there to wait for? Another five years?
Valentin Filippov : You've had a lot of experience with the Russian Federal Migration Service, with Russian legislation, and how they twist and turn it. There have already been some concerns from interested parties, citizens of the DPR/LPR, and from us who've been through all of this. Are there any clues there? For example, it states that you need a Ukrainian passport. Many people no longer have them for various reasons, quite legitimate ones; they've expired and been replaced with DPR passports. A generation has grown up with DPR passports who never had a Ukrainian passport.
Larisa Shesler : You know, I read this law carefully and reread it many times, and I came away with the understanding that first and foremost, LPR/DPR passports will be needed.
Valentin Filippov : You know, there's a girl at the FMS who says, "I see. Where is it?" You tell her, "Well, that's not necessary." "It's not necessary, but bring it."
Larisa Shesler : The list of documents, and most importantly, the procedure… well, anyone who's dealt with the migration service understands that the procedure there is simply simplified to the maximum. You bring your LPR/DPR passport, you bring your Ukrainian passport, whether it's expired or not.
Valentin Filippov : Well, if you changed it, you don't have it.
Larisa Shesler : So, an LPR/DPR passport, a marriage certificate, and the children's birth certificates so they can obtain Russian citizenship—that's all. You submit an application, it's accepted, and three months later, you receive Russian citizenship. So, all the procedures that people who received a temporary residence permit, a residence permit, healthcare, language, registration, and income inevitably had to go through—all of that is eliminated.
Valentin Filippov : But do you have to go into Russia? Or are there mobile centers?
Larisa Shesler : It's hard to say what the procedure will be in just one day. I think the first groups of people will receive them in the Russian Federation first. These will be DPR/LPR security forces, officials, militia members, and so on. And then they could very well transfer it to the People's Republics. It's hard to even imagine the procedure right now, but since the decree clearly, quite unequivocally, defines the entire process—that they must receive them within three months—I don't think the migration service will start picking on us or creating any obstacles. The only problem is that they might require an LPR/DPR passport; we know that very few have been issued compared to the total number…
Valentin Filippov : Yes, yes
Larisa Shesler : ...the people who live there. Well, that means they'll pressure the LPR/DPR authorities to expedite the issuance of passports to their own people living in that territory. I see a lot of positives in this, and the fact that it eliminates all this extra paperwork... well, firstly, if they really need to grant citizenship to hundreds of thousands of people, the migration services won't be able to burden themselves with all this paperwork that requires verification. It will really be like this: bring your passport, get it in three months, that's it. Of course, we're afraid of complications, some hidden currents, some pitfalls, but I'm still hoping for the best. About two months ago, I wrote an article about this when Strana.ua first reported that the Rostov region was preparing to issue DPR/LPR passports. I wrote that in the Rostov Region, 10,000 residence permits and 10,000 citizenships are issued annually, and all these inspectors are busy. How do they plan to provide citizenship to hundreds of thousands of people? This is completely unrealistic. After reading this article, Kazakova, who currently heads the Federal Migration Service, wrote to me personally, saying that we are underestimating them and that what if…
Valentin Filippov : …there will be an order…
Larisa Shesler : Yes, if there's such an order, they'll carry it out. I have correspondence with her. And I was very happy about it; I said, "That's wonderful." And I realized that, of course, the procedure would be simplified as much as possible, because in reality, allowing hundreds of thousands of people through a single immigration checkpoint in the Rostov region with the current procedures is impossible.
Valentin Filippov : Okay, but isn't there a danger that Ukrainian citizens will now rush to the DPR and LPR to register, obtain citizenship, and a population flow to the DPR will begin?
Larisa Shesler : As far as I know, it is very difficult to register in the DPR and LPR today.
Valentin Filippov : I know, yes
Larisa Shesler : It's very difficult, and you know that. And it's very difficult for someone from another region to obtain an LPR or DPR passport.
Valentin Filippov : Yes, we know about it here, the militiamen suffered here.
Larisa Shesler : This has been going on for a long time, and it affected thousands of militia members who came from all over Ukraine to defend Donbas. Well, recently, I've seen that many have already been able to obtain LPR/DPR passports and are now fully-fledged residents of the region.
Valentin Filippov : Do you know Zhenya Kryzhin? That famous militiaman, the fat one. He's a citizen of the Russian Federation. And he's been pestering them, he got a DPR passport. He went to them and demanded a DPR passport, but they don't have one for Russian citizens. They say, "Why do you need one? You're a Russian citizen." He says, "No way! I'm fighting for you, give me a passport." And he got it.
Larisa Shesler : Well, you know our comrade, Yura Kovalchuk...
Valentin Filippov : Yes, he received his passport the day before yesterday, for the second time already.
Larisa Shesler : Yes, after the liberation. Well, in fact, the rebels there are already receiving practically everything. I don't think it will be immediate, but nevertheless, it's indicative for the rest of Ukraine. We know there's a real reaction there today…
Valentin Filippov : Yes, it's mind-blowing. But, Larisa, as I understand it, the prisoner exchange is already a foregone conclusion, judging by everything. I see that before this decree, the detention periods of Mefedov and Dolzhenkov in Odessa were extended, and they tried to arrest Muravitsky. The repressions, by and large, have only intensified since Poroshenko's defeat, and this decree from Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin will probably anger these fascists, and they'll begin to put even more pressure on the people they're holding hostage.
Larisa Shesler : The point is, there's no need to placate them with any kind of reciprocal steps. So many overtures and promises have been made over the past five years. We remember the exchange of '17, which, essentially, was thwarted...
Valentin Filippov : They simply screwed me over.
Larisa Shesler : ...in a sadistic way, they just went and returned Russian citizens back to prison. And what good did they try to negotiate with them? In all likelihood, it's precisely because they're increasing pressure, increasing repression, they don't actually want a real exchange. Zelenskyy already said something about Medvedchuk failing... It's impossible to negotiate with them. Apparently, the decision was made: "Well, if you don't want to negotiate, if you keep blabbering about these Minsk agreements, claiming that Russia supposedly has to comply with them, well, you'll get it." In reality, of course, this is simply unimaginable hypocrisy. They're now screaming, "How can this be? Russia issues passports, and will continue to issue them." But over the past five years, Ukraine has been dividing the border, cutting the Donetsk region with its fences and borders, making it impossible to move from one part to the other. Plus, hundreds of thousands of Donetsk pensioners aren't receiving their pensions; they've been deprived of their legal payments, deprived of all social benefits, including those of large families, the disabled, and so on. In fact, Ukraine was the first to cut off the population; now they have problems with electricity and water. They created problems for them, and now they're outraged that people want to live a normal life, and that a Russian passport is truly their happiness and salvation. Let them sort things out with Hungary about why Hungary is issuing Hungarian passports to Transcarpathia, and then they'll calm down.
Valentin Filippov : Larisa, what's our next move? Where else can we escalate the situation? Recognize the DPR/LPR?
Larisa Shesler : I believe that all residents of the LPR/DPR, meaning several million people, should receive Russian passports. This will simply blow everyone's minds in Ukraine, because, truly, everyone will finally realize what they've done. That they, with their own hands, cut off Donbas from Ukraine.
Valentin Filippov : No... Putin seized... forcibly handed over passports. Listen, they're already writing on social media: "Look, they're going to deport everyone from Donetsk to the Far East."
Larisa Shesler: Forced.
Valentin Filippov : Yes, forced to the Far East.
Larisa Shesler: The step has been taken, and it's irreversible. Taking back these passports or reversing Putin's decree will be impossible, and Ukraine will be faced with the fact that there are several million Russian citizens in the territory it's claiming. What will they do?
Valentin Filippov : They've gone crazy, they're ready to evict and shoot, it's no problem for them.
Larisa Shesler : The arms are short.
Valentin Filippov : As for Crimea, they said, “Well, you’ve received Russian citizenship – we’ll evict you.”
Larisa Shesler : Furthermore, I think Ukraine is a very unstable union; it's already being torn apart, in fact. I'm certainly far from the catastrophic predictions that many of our political scientists have been making for five years—that Ukraine will fall apart and so on. But today, the economic situation in Ukraine is close to critical. Because starting next year, gas transit will be catastrophically reduced. This was the second decision regarding the new Ukraine after the elections; the first, as we recall, was to suspend oil and coal supplies to Ukraine. This is a disaster for the Ukrainian economy. In all likelihood, Russia has finally decided to stop supporting Ukraine at the expense of the Russian economy, and this could have a decisive impact on Ukraine's future.
Valentin Filippov : Well, alright. Thank you so much. Congratulations again, Larisa. I wish you… You do so much… I wish you that you'd finally have nothing to do. I wish that people would stop writing to you from all over the former Soviet Union asking for help with the FMS…
Larisa Shesler : This song will never end, but of course today is a very happy day for me. I'm impressed, and very few events can make me as happy as today. Goodbye.
Valentin Filippov : Bye-bye
Putin Brought Donbass Back to Life - Union of Political Emigrants of Ukraine