The Kremlin has approved new measures allowing citizens from Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria to gain Russian citizenship more easily, Russia’s state media reported Friday night.A new decree signed by President Vladimir Putin will allow permanent residents of Transnistria over the age of 18 to obtain Russian citizenship through a simplified process, allowing them to skip requirements to prove their knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and Russian legislation.They will also be exempt from requirements to have lived in Russia for five years prior to their application.The decree says the decision was made “in order to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals and citizens, guided by the generally recognized principles and norms of international law,” Russian media reported.Transnistria declared independence from Moldova after a short war in the early 1990s, although its independence isn’t recognized by any U.N. member country, including Russia.
However, Transnistria’s breakaway government relies heavily on Moscow and the region is home to a military base with 1,500 Russian troops.
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