DONETSK, February 1. /TASS/. About 16,000 residents of Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics with Russian citizenship filed their applications to join the United Russia political party, says Viktor Vodolatsky, First Deputy Chairman of Russian State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and communication with compatriots
"Donbass residents want to participate in Russia’s political life. Since we’ve passed the first stage — elected the State Duma deputies — now the State Duma deputies must, among other things, work for their voters. And the voters want to join the party. Therefore, there is a huge number of applications in the Rostov office of the United Russia party, filed by Russian citizens living in Donbass, who want to become party members. There are about 16,000 such applications today," he told the Donetsk News Agency.
Vodolatsky also informed that, in the upcoming days, he will have a business trip to the Lugansk People’s Republic, which will receive 860 party membership IDs, which will increase the number of party members to about 1,000.
Previously, United Russia simplified the admission procedure for Donbass residents with Russian citizenship; now, the applicants are being admitted immediately, without the six-month supporter status.
The Unite Russia started receiving applications in DPR and LPR in mid-July last year. In late November, the first 100 Russian citizens living in Donbass received their party membership IDs.
On April 24, 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the decree that makes it possible for Donbass residents to obtain Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure. One year later, the President canceled the state fee for the issue of a Russian passport. In September 2021, Donbass residents with Russian citizenship were able to vote in Russian parliamentary elections for the first time.