‘You’re not human:’ A legal limbo for Russian nationals in Ukraine

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Mansur MirovalevJanuary 29, 2026 at 08:16 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

The article discusses the difficult situation faced by Russian nationals living in Ukraine during the ongoing war. Over 150,000 Russians reside in Ukraine, many with Ukrainian family ties, seeking refuge, or volunteering for the Ukrainian army. These individuals encounter significant bureaucratic obstacles when renewing residence permits or applying for Ukrainian citizenship. They also face mistreatment and prejudice due to their Russian passports, despite their connections to Ukraine. One man, Taras, born in Soviet Ukraine, spent 11 years navigating legal hurdles to obtain Ukrainian citizenship, highlighting the challenges faced by Russians seeking to integrate into Ukrainian society. The article illustrates the complex legal and social limbo experienced by Russian citizens in Ukraine amidst the conflict.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Vladimir Putin 30% Crimean Peninsula 40% Bryansk 40% St Petersburg 40% Soviet Ukraine 40% Kyiv 50% Poltava ×360% Taras ×480% Russia ×590% Ukraine ×790%

Keywords

russian nationals 100% ukraine 90% citizenship 80% bureaucratic hurdles 70% russian passport 60% residence permits 60% war with russia 50% mistreatment 50% ukrainian identity 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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russian nationals ukraine citizenship bureaucratic hurdles russian passport residence permits war with russia mistreatment ukrainian identity

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