Kiev denounces Russian move to ease citizeship for east Ukraine residents

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin on Wednesday denounced a Russian move to simplify procedures for residents in separatist-held eastern Ukraine to obtain Russian passports. The decision "to issue passports in the occupied Ukrainian territories is the continuation of aggression and interference in our internal affairs," he tweeted, urging Ukrainians living under occupation not to apply for such passports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier signed an order easing the procedure for obtaining a Russian passport for residents of the separatist-controlled Donetsk and Luhansk regions.