"No Russian Passport, No Heat": Ukrainians in Occupied Areas Face Dire Choice

Written by Kathrine Frich

Jan.14 - 2025 9:27 AM CET

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Photo: Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration on Telegram
Photo: Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration on Telegram
Without coal, families face freezing temperatures.

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Wars have a way of reshaping lives in unimaginable ways, often forcing people to make painful sacrifices just to survive.

In Ukraine, the ongoing conflict has brought severe hardships to those living under occupation, where daily life is defined by limited resources and unyielding demands.

Residents in Russian-occupied areas of Kherson Oblast are facing a troubling choice: accept Russian passports or risk freezing during the harsh winter.

Diminishes Ukrainian Identity

According to Ukraine’s National Resistance Center, coal for heating homes is being withheld from those without Russian identification.

For many, this ultimatum places their safety and comfort at odds with their identity and principles.

Reports indicate that local officials are enforcing this requirement to pressure people into renouncing their Ukrainian citizenship, according to Ziare.

Without coal, families face freezing temperatures in already difficult conditions, turning survival into an even greater challenge.

Such measures are viewed as part of a broader effort to diminish Ukrainian identity in regions controlled by Russian forces.

Adding to the difficulties, shelling by Russian forces on January 12 caused significant power outages in Kherson, leaving around 23,000 households without electricity.

The attacks were concentrated in the Dniprovski district, an area often targeted due to its proximity to Russian-controlled territory on the opposite side of the Dnipro River.

Kherson has been a focal point of the conflict since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022. Captured early on, the city was the first major regional capital to fall under Russian control.

Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive later in the year, reclaiming the city in November. Despite this victory, Russia continues to assert its claim over Kherson, declaring it part of its territory following a widely disputed annexation.

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