Fresh Measures Enforced in Occupied Ukrainian Territories
Authorities in the occupied regions of Ukraine are implementing new coercive measures, including forced passportization and mobilization of the local population. In Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, residents are now denied medical treatment unless they possess a Russian passport and a corresponding medical insurance policy. This denial of care extends even to cases requiring urgent medical intervention. Patients who are critically dependent on heart medication are also being refused prescriptions until they complete the process of obtaining Russian citizenship.
Conditions in Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts
In Luhansk Oblast, severe bread shortages have persisted for two months. Due to ongoing problems with electricity and water supply, residents are deprived of the ability to cook food. The Center for Countering Disinformation has provided information on the situation in Luhansk.
In the temporarily occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, such as Melitopol, the occupation administration is attempting to legitimize the forced conscription of local men. The Center of National Resistance reports that Russia has passed a law allowing for year-round military conscription, from January 1 to December 31. These new conscription rules formally apply to the occupied areas of Ukraine. Under them, a resident of Melitopol or surrounding villages can receive an electronic summons and is obligated to report to a military enlistment office within 30 days. Occupation military commissariats have been instructed to compile lists of men aged 18 to 50 who are deemed fit for service.
Furthermore, the Russian occupation administration in Kherson Oblast has launched a campaign to attach local residents to clinics using compulsory Russian health insurance policies. Concurrently, the partisan movement Atesh provides data on the situation in the occupied territories, highlighting the challenges faced by the local population.
These developments form part of a broader Russian strategy to integrate the occupied territories into its own legal and social systems, a process accompanied by serious human rights violations. Forced passportization and mobilization threaten the safety and autonomy of residents and call into question their access to essential social services like healthcare. The situation in these regions remains critical, with civilians facing mounting hardships in their daily lives. These coercive tactics are widely seen as attempts to solidify control and suppress Ukrainian identity in the captured areas.