The resettlement of residents from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia is a planned campaign of the ruling regime in Russia, according to a survey conducted by a team of analysts from the Eastern Human Rights Group and the Institute for Strategic Studies and Security.

"In such a way, the Kremlin is trying to increase the number of Ukrainian labor force and create competition for migrants from Central Asia. Also, one of the important factors in the resettlement of Ukrainian citizens to Russia is that the number of non-Slavic migrants in Russia is increasing. The resettlement of Ukrainians to Russia can be divided into three stages. The first one is before 2014. The second one is after 2014. And the third one is after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine," says the analytical report entitled "Forced Resettlement" which was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency on Thursday.

Analysts drew attention to the systematic nature of Russia's policy in its intention to resettle local residents from Ukraine to improve the demographic situation within Russia. Thus, there are facts of forced passportization of local residents from the occupied territories of Ukraine in 2014 and 2022. Another large-scale process on the territory of Ukraine, which was occupied by Russia, can be considered labor migration from Ukraine to Russia, which was a consequence of the policy of the Russian occupation authorities.

"This policy consisted of a massive closure of coal mines in the occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which led to the migration of the working population from Luhansk and Donetsk regions to other countries, including Russia. Before the occupation of the territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions in 2014, there were about 100 coal mining enterprises in the territories, employing more than 100,000 workers," it says.

In addition to coal mining enterprises, there were factories for the repair of mining equipment, metallurgical plants, railways, etc. But after the liquidation of more than 80 coal mines, the rest of the industry began to decline, and wages were not paid at the enterprises.

New socio-economic realities led to the fact that the majority of the working population of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine were forced to leave abroad in order to find jobs. Given the absence of a language barrier in Russia, many residents of the occupied territories also traveled to Russia.

The occupation authorities also actively used such a tool as the Compatriot program, which was aimed at encouraging Ukrainian citizens to move to Russia. Also, during 2014, in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, recruiters from Russian mining companies were actively working, actively recruiting workers in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

"Most cases of resettlement of Ukrainians to Russia are associated with Russian armed aggression against Ukraine in 2014 and 2022. During this period, resettlement was carried out through instruments of coercion by the occupation authorities. Several programs were in effect in Russia for the resettlement of Ukrainian residents to Russia, which confirms Russia's interest in forced resettlement residents from Ukraine, Ukrainians who moved to Russia were assigned the role of service personnel and lower-level workers," analysts said.

Thus, the report contains facts of people from Ukraine, who have moved to Russia, openly talking about their impoverished existence and the impossibility of getting a job. Residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine on the territory of Russia are massively prohibited from receiving certificates for the purchase of housing (this report provides evidence in the form of Russian court rulings).

Every year, Russian politicians intensify their rhetoric towards Ukrainian citizens, proposing to resettle them to Siberia or the Far East. In the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, a process of coercion is taking place to renounce Ukrainian citizenship, and those residents who do not want to receive a passport of a Russian citizen are simply deported from Russia. Deported citizens of Ukraine have their real estate and property confiscated.

"These facts indicate only one thing: Russia has carried out plans to seize the territory of Ukraine, while local residents have been massively subjected to deportation, forced confiscation of property and forced resettlement to Russia. That is, Russia is 'clearing' the occupied territories of Ukrainian citizens, populating them with Russian citizens in order to create a population loyal to the occupation authorities in these territories," says the report.