Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a sweeping presidential decree that simplifies the process for residents of the unrecognized Moldovan breakaway territory of Transnistria to obtain Russian citizenship, Astra Telegram channel reported.
The document, published on the Russian state legal portal on May 15, marks a major intensification of Moscow’s hybrid campaign in Eastern Europe.
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Eliminating legal hurdles
Under the terms of the new decree, foreign nationals and stateless persons aged 18 or older who permanently reside in the self-proclaimed Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) can apply directly for an expedited Russian passport.
Applicants are completely exempted from standard Russian federal citizenship requirements, including the mandatory five-year permanent residency in Russia, proof of Russian language proficiency, and knowledge of Russian history and state legislation.
The decree explicitly extends this fast-track eligibility to orphans, children left without parental care, and legally incapacitated individuals residing in Transnistria, allowing applications to be processed via their legal guardians or the directors of care organizations.
Residents can submit their paperwork without entering Russian territory, operating directly through existing Russian diplomatic missions and consular offices in the region.
The Kremlin officially justified the decree under the pretext of “protecting human and civil rights and freedoms,” a rationale Moscow has historically deployed to justify interventions in neighboring sovereign states.
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A strategy of “passportization”
The move mirrors tactics the Kremlin has repeatedly utilized across the post-Soviet space to manufacture legal pretexts for future military action.
Russia recently updated its national defense laws to allow the use of military force abroad explicitly to “protect” Russian citizens facing legal or physical threats.
Similar fast-track passport operations were deployed in Ukraine’s occupied territories, as well as Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Moldova’s western shift
Moldovan President Maia Sandu recently reiterated Chisinau’s strategic target to sign its formal EU accession treaty by 2028, with the EU intending to rapidly advance talks during a favorable political window. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas explicitly stated that the unresolved Transnistria issue would not block Moldova’s integration path.
In response to heightened Russian hybrid warfare, the EU has proposed doubling defense assistance to Moldova to €120 million annually. Concurrently, Moldova declared senior commanders of the Russian operational forces in Transnistria, including Commander Dmitry Zelenkov, persona non grata, strictly limiting their diplomatic movement.
According to Ukrainian defense intelligence (HUR), Russia’s sudden administrative shift in Transnistria is part of a coordinated campaign ahead of upcoming regional elections.