Russia distributes 40,000 passports in occupied Mariupol, official says
Russian occupants demolish a residential building destroyed by them in Mariupol, March, 2023 (Photo:REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko)
Russian occupation “authorities” have illegitimately issued around 40,000 Russian passports to Ukrainians in the occupied and largely destroyed city of Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast, Mariupol mayoral advisor Petro Andriushchenko said in a Telegram post on April 14.
The official suggested these figures mean the actual population of the city shrunk to mere 90,000 residents, down from 420,000 in late 2021.
“280,000 people (living) in occupied Mariupol – can you recall these (Russian) propaganda claims?” Andriushchenko said.
“Here are the official numbers: around 40,000 passports have been distributed in Mariupol, with another 44,000 still pending. It's almost the entire population of Mariupol as of now. Where are the rest 200,000 people?”
Moscow coerces remaining locals to apply for Russian citizenship by withholding access to essential services and social security payments from those who refuse.
Over 10,000 of new graves were identified in and around Mariupol by the end of 2022, through analyzing satellite imagery. Most of the graves were found in the Staryi Krym cemetery, AP wrote. According to preliminary data, at least 25,000 people were killed in Mariupol by Russia's actions, namely bombing of residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure, causing a humanitarian disaster.
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