MOSCOW: On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order making it easier for natives of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two Georgian breakaway territories, to get Russian citizenship.
The decree eliminates the need for applicants to demonstrate their proficiency in the Russian language and culture or to live in Russia continuously to get citizenship. The majority of the world recognises Abkhazia and South Ossetia as Georgian territory, but since a brief conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi in 2008, Russia has de facto occupied them.
Another pro-Russian president was just elected in Abkhazia after the previous one was overthrown due to heated demonstrations over a measure that would have made it easier for Russians to own Black Sea shore property.
Although there has been no official ties between Georgia and Russia since the 2008 conflict, detractors say the current ruling party in Georgia is pro-Russian and was elected via a manipulated election. Georgia, which borders Russia, refused to provide Kyiv with military hardware or to join global financial and economic penalties on Moscow for its offensive in Ukraine.
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