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Kiev calls Zaporozhye residents traitors, giving up region, says regional official

Vladimir Rogov also recalled that Ukraine’s telecom operators have halted work in the region

SIMFEROPOL, June 6. /TASS/. Residents of the freed areas in Zaporozhye, filing for Russian citizenship, are being portrayed in Ukraine’s media as traitors, which means Ukraine has given up those lands, a regional administration official said on Monday.

"The [Ukrainian] media rhetoric has changed," Vladimir Rogov, a member of the chief council of Zaporozhye’s military-civilian administration, told Rossiya 24. "Fragments of Russian footages are shown, where people are queueing to apply for citizenship, with newsreaders saying, that the lands are unfortunately inhabited by traitors. This means they have ceded these lands, at least it is the perception of people here," Rogov said.

Ukraine’s telecom operators have halted work in the liberated lands because Kiev does not want information about peaceful life in the region to leak to Ukraine, Rogov said.

Russian forces now control some 70% of the region’s territory, Rogov said earlier. Ukraine is still controlling the city of Zaporozhye, which is home to nearly 50% of regional population. The region is switching to +7 Russian area telephone code.