Translated by Ollie Richardson & Angelina Siard

14:57:33
02/10/2018

politnavigator.net

The Verkhovna Rada adopted a draft law that simplifies the process of obtaining Ukrainian citizenship for foreigners who are fighting in the ranks of the UAF.

At the beginning of the discussion of the draft law the floor was taken by the founder of the neo-Nazi “Azov” regiment and head of “National Corpus“, the deputy of the Verkhovna Rada Andrey Biletsky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Mp0BLwp-A

He said that in 2014-2015 about 500 foreigners were involved in the war in Donbass on the side of the Kiev regime, including from Russia and Belarus, where the militants can’t now return to.

“In order to solve this problem we drafted law No. 3433. It includes a moratorium on deportation and the extradition of foreign volunteers to Russia or to those countries that don’t recognise the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. The second thing it is includes: recognising foreigners and persons without citizenship who took part in defending the territorial integrity of Ukraine as those whose stay within its borders on legal grounds. The third thing: simplification of the procedure of them obtaining Ukrainian citizenship,” said Biletsky.

After the discussion voting took place, the results of which meant that the law was adopted: from 341 deputies 252 votes “yes” and 89 abstained from voting.

It should be noted that during the procedure of considering this draft law nationalists organised a meeting outside the walls of the Verkhovna Rada in support of the foreigners who are fighting in Donbass on the UAF’s side.

The head of the central HQ of “National Corpus” Rodion Kudryashov explained why, in his opinion, the Rada adopted draft law No. 3433.

“This draft law has been on the agenda since the end of 2014. But all that we have today is the promise of the president to legalise foreign volunteers who have already proved their devotion to Ukraine, and who have sacrificed everything they have and came to defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine at at our request,” stressed Kudryashov.

He also noted the ambiguous policy of the authorities, which earlier presented awards to foreign soldiers, but today under its assistance they are placed on lists for extradition to the “aggressor country”.

“We have already participated in all coordination councils before the meeting in the Verkhovna Rada. The draft law, having undergone all amendments, was put on the agenda. We expect that the Verkhovna Rada will eventually recognise these people and will help them become Ukrainians. They have already proved that they deserve this status,” said Kudryashov.

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