TAGANROG, June 19. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia may allow Ukrainian refugees to stay in Russia for one year and get temporary residence permits, presidential chief of staff Sergei Ivanov said on Thursday, June 19.

He admitted that Russia’s “legislation is not quite perfect with regard to this specific situation (a large number of refugees from the south-east of Ukraine)”.

Ivanov recalled that when Crimea had joined Russia, it was decided that Ukrainian citizens would not be required to leave Russia in 90 days. “It’s quite possible that a similar decision may be applied to Ukrainian refugees as well,” he said.

Under current legislation, Ukrainian citizens are required to leave Russia after a 90-day stay.

“It may be possible to apply the right to stay in Russia for one year, with a possible extension,” Ivanov said, adding that in this case Ukrainian refugees would have to acquire permanent residence permits.

He noted that “many people, if not most of them, have not yet made up their mind about their future and many hope that the horrible genocide will end sooner or later and they will go home”. “But of late more and more people have been saying that they have made the final decision to link their future with Russia and stay here for good,” he said.

They will be entitled to acquire Russian citizenship within three months of stay in Russia.

Those who decide to do so will be able to receive the status of refugee, provision asylum or temporary residence permits. In the latter case, they will be able to keep their Ukrainian passports and get a job in Russia.