Moldova complains of the growing influx of Russians seeking citizenship

Moldovan authorities have said they are having difficulty coping with the sharp increase in the number of applications for citizenship by Russian citizens during the war.

"Due to the surge in requests for Moldovan citizenship, the agency asks the government to extend the deadline for processing applications to six months instead of the current 20 days," the government agency, which, among other things, deals with citizenship and passports, said, according to Reuters.

"The geopolitical situation in the region, shaped by Russia's war against Ukraine, has led to an increase in the number of people seeking Moldovan citizenship," the report said.

The agency noted that 70 percent of the applicants were Russian citizens and 20 percent were Ukrainians, without providing specific figures on the number of those seeking citizenship of Moldova, one of the poorest countries in Europe.

Moldova's pro-European government has condemned Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Parts of Russian missiles, which were probably aimed at Ukraine, hit its territory.