Putin signed a decree on distributing passports to Transnistria residents
Earlier, Putin signed a similar decree simplifying the acquisition of Russian citizenship for residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Putin signed a decree on distributing passports to Transnistria residents. The document, published on the official legal information portal, states that it was adopted "to protect human and civil rights and freedoms" based on "generally recognized principles and norms of international law," writes Moscow Times.
According to the decree, foreign citizens and stateless persons over 18 years of age who permanently reside in Transnistria on the day the document comes into force are entitled to simplified acquisition of a Russian passport (without fulfilling a number of standard requirements). The procedure for accepting minors and incapacitated residents of the region into citizenship is also outlined. Applications for a Russian passport must be submitted to Russian diplomatic missions or consular offices using approved forms.
Earlier, in the spring of 2025, Putin signed a similar decree simplifying the acquisition of Russian citizenship for residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In July of last year, Putin also approved the issuance of Russian passports in these regions until August 2028.
Against this backdrop, on May 13, the State Duma unanimously adopted a law in its second and third readings that allows Putin to deploy the army for the "protection of Russian citizens" in the event of their arrest, detention, criminal, or other persecution abroad — in particular, by courts not recognized by Russia. The explanatory note emphasizes that the document aims to "strengthen the protection of Russian citizens from unlawful actions by unfriendly foreign states."
Transnistria (Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic) is an unrecognized territorial entity located in a narrow strip between the Dniester River and the border with Ukraine. Formally, it is part of Moldova, but after an armed conflict with Chisinau in the early 1990s, it effectively exists as a separate entity. Its population is about 350,000 people, predominantly Russian-speaking. Transnistria is not recognized by any UN member state, and Russian troops have been stationed on its territory since 1992. The region is heavily dependent on Russia economically and politically and remains one of the "frozen" conflicts in the post-Soviet space.
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