MOSCOW, April 30. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s Federal Migration Service (FMS) has received more than 2,266 requests for asylum in the country from Ukrainian citizens from the beginning of this year, according to the watchdog’s press service.

Meanwhile, according to FMS reports, 375 thousand passports were already issued in the Russian Republic of Crimea and local FMS branches have received 443 applications for Russian passports.

Signs of humanitarian disaster in Ukraine become more noticeable

Signs of a humanitarian disaster in Ukraine are becoming more noticeable, and the situation is alarming, head of the Federal Migration Service Konstantin Romodanovsky said April 29. “When all signs (of deteriorating situation in Ukraine) have emerged, I said that there are some signs of a humanitarian disaster. They are becoming more and more noticeable. Our concerns do not wane,” he said at a meeting of the Federation Council upper house of parliament.

At the same time, less than 1% of Russia’s Crimea residents refused to receive Russian citizenship, Romodanovsky said.

Federation Council approves legal acts on easing procedure to get Russian citizenship

April 16, Russia’s upper house of parliament has approved several amendments to the law on Russian citizenship that simplify citizenship procedure for Russian-speaking compatriots. The document envisages to simplify procedure and cut deadlines to consider applications for Russian citizenship from Russian-speaking compatriots, “if these people or their ascendants live permanently or lived earlier in Russia or on a territory belonging to the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union, within Russian state borders, under the condition of their resettlement for permanent place of residence in Russia and abandonment of foreign citizenship.”

The key provision of the law endorsed by the upper house is introduction of an institute of recognition of foreign citizens or stateless people as Russian speakers. Meanwhile, according to the document, a person will be recognized as a Russian speaker as a result of questioning by a committee which the Russian migration watchdog is forming.