Occupiers force locals to obtain russian passports, threaten to stop paying salaries and limit use of property — Melitopol Mayor

At the beginning of 2023, the efforts to forcefully issue russian passports to the Ukrainian population are intensifying in the temporarily occupied territories. Ivan Fedorov, Mayor of Melitopol, made this statement at a briefing at Media Center Ukraine — Ukrinform.

“russists do this in order to involve as many people as possible in their criminal activities. A year has passed, and they do not have the support of citizens. That’s why they are trying to drag our residents into this crime and force passports on them as soon as possible. Currently, they have introduced new rules: anyone who does not have a russist passport will not be able to use their property from June 1, because it will not be included in the new registers invented by the russians. The situation is the same with cars, with wages or welfare benefits. Those without russian passports, who work in Melitopol region, will have to pay twice more in taxes — that is more than 36% of the salary,” — Fedorov said.

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