ROSTOV-ON-DON, April 24. /TASS/. The number of residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics who have received Russian citizenship in a simplified manner may almost double by the end of 2021 - up to 1 mln people, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots Viktor Vodolatsky told TASS on Saturday.

"Today, there are 538,000 citizens of Russia living in the territory of Donbass. According to the forecasts that exist today, and according to the statements that exist today, by the end of this year, up to 1 mln residents of Donbass will become citizens of the Russian Federation," he said.

According to him, in two years it was possible to develop a system of clear interaction between the Main Directorate for Migration Issues of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the relevant services of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics for processing documents for obtaining Russian citizenship. "At the beginning, there were certain difficulties, problems, people simply did not know and did not understand where to turn, which way to go. To date, all bureaucratic barriers have been removed, a very active process of obtaining Russian citizenship is in progress," the State Duma deputy said.

On April 24, 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree simplifying the process of obtaining Russian passports for residents of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics. The first passports were issued on July 14.