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Long lines at border checkpoints prove many Ukrainians want to live in Russia — diplomat

According Maria Zakharova, Russia’s approach is in stark contrast to the actions of Kiev nationalists, who publish personal data not only of adults but also of minors on the Mirotvorets website

MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. Ukrainian citizens standing in line at checkpoints demonstrate that a large number of Ukrainians prefer to live in Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Friday.

"A long queue lined up at the checkpoint in the Zaporozhye region, through which up to 700 people, who have found out objective information about peaceful life in their native towns and villages from their family and friends, are coming back home every day," the statement says.

"In particular, this could be seen by the IAEA experts who got into that line on their way to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and had a chance to talk to ordinary people. It is a clear sign that very many Ukrainians prefer living with Russia, having no trust in the corrupt and criminal regime of Kiev," she said.

Zakharova points out that Russia has hosted the largest number of refugees from Ukraine, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) - nearly four million people, including over 625,000 children, while 2.4 million refugees, according to estimates of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), are citizens of Ukraine.

"They are staying in Russia freely and voluntarily. They are not banned from going around or leaving the country, which is confirmed by the UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency - TASS)," she said. "We work individually with each refugee, promptly assist them in solving various pressing issues related to their further accommodation, meals and daily necessities, and social payments," the diplomat said.

According to the diplomat, Russia’s approach "is in stark contrast to the actions of Kiev nationalists, who publish personal data not only of adults but also of minors on the Mirotvorets website, threatening them with reprisals."

"We have already notified the United Nations, in particular UNICEF, that there are more than 340 children in the database of that extremist resource. However, UN officials are trying to ignore those blatant violations," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman added.

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