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Alexander Dudka, the Russia-installed head of the occupation administration of Lazurne in Ukraine’s Kherson Region, has issued threats to local residents who have not accepted Russian citizenship. He warned of cutting off access to medication and humanitarian aid, which is funded from Russia’s government budget:
“First of all it concerns insulin, as those who are citizens of another country are well aware. The same will apply to the distribution of humanitarian aid.”
Dudka insisted that locals should accept passports from “the country they reside in.” He also warned parents whose children are not enrolled in Russian schools, claiming that they will face legal consequences, and eventually, criminal charges:
“And then we will put them on buses, take them to the border and send them to your Ukrainian schools, where you will study. If you are not satisfied with the laws of the Russian Federation, pack your bags and prepare to leave.”
Dudka justified his remarks by citing the presence of “waiters” (“zhduny”) referring to Ukrainians anticipating the town's liberation by the Ukrainian army.
Dudka, a Russian collaborator, had previously issued similar threats. In June 2023, he began claiming that the residents of Lazurne would require a Russian passport to access pensions, humanitarian aid, and job opportunities.