New People for the Old Empire: Russian Policy of Citizenship in the Occupied Territories of Ukraine and Beyond

The Russian citizenship policy toward Ukrainian citizens, both in Russia and in the occupied Ukrainian territories, underwent significant transformation during periods of grey zone conflict and conventional war. We argue that the citizenship policy, which manifests itself in 'passportization,' is a function of Russian military—political tactics on the battlefield and the changing priorities of its policy of entrenchment in occupied territories. Russia's citizenship policy is a comprehensive set of direct and indirect mechanisms that encourage Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship, which, in the long-term perspective, represents an obstacle to any attempts at de-occupation and reintegration of territories with Ukraine.