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EU’s reaction won't affect Russia’s decision on granting citizenship to Donbass residents

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov tnoted that the decision on simplifying the process of granting Russian passports "did not come out of nowhere"

MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Any reaction from the European Union will not affect Russia’s position on the issue of granting Russian citizenship to Donbass residents, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told TASS on Wednesday.

"Whatever the reaction is, I don’t think it would affect Russia’s stance in any major way," Chizhov said. "It [the EU’s position] can be guessed quite easily within the framework of the European Union’s general policy line."

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The diplomat noted that the decision on simplifying the process of granting Russian passports "did not come out of nowhere".

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an act allowing the residents of several regions of southeastern Ukraine to receive Russian citizenship in a simplified manner.

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