Russia is likely using "temporary accommodation points" (TAPs) to facilitate the forced displacement of Ukrainians within Russian-occupied territories or their deportation to the Russian Federation under the guise of humanitarian evacuation. This is reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), informs UNN.
Details
Thus, the occupying "Zaporizhzhia regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia" reported that 160 residents of recently occupied settlements in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions arrived at TAPs in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region. In particular, the head of the occupying authorities of the Zaporizhzhia region, Yevhen Balytskyi, reported that Russian volunteers and psychologists are working at the TAPs, and that specialists are on site to help with "document processing."
Russia used TAPs in the first year of the full-scale invasion to facilitate the deportation of Ukrainians to Russia. TAPs mostly functioned as "filtration points" where Russian authorities detained Ukrainian civilians, interrogated them about their loyalty, and often initiated the deportation process to Russia. Russian authorities usually brought civilians to TAPs during forced evacuations, which Russian media and officials portray as "humanitarian evacuations."
It is indicated that TAPs in the Zaporizhzhia region are likely replicating many of the forced evacuation and filtration processes, as in other TAPs at the beginning of the war.
"Balytskyi's reference to 'paperwork' suggests that Russian officials and volunteers in these TAPs may be forcibly issuing Russian passports to evacuated residents," ISW concludes.
Recall
Akhtem Chiygoz, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, said that in the occupied territory of Crimea, Russia is imposing its citizenship, depriving people of the opportunity to move, work, and receive medical care without Russian documents.