MainNews -

Poroshenko grants Ukrainian citizenship to Sentsov's cousin, Russian ex-MP

The ex-MP said he would use his new status to improve Ukrainians' welfare.

Poroshenko grants Ukrainian citizenship to Sentsov's cousin, Russian ex-MP
Photo: EPA/UPG

President Petro Poroshenko has granted Ukrainian citizenship to film director Oleh Sentsov's cousin Natalya Kaplan.

"Done! I am a citizen of Ukraine," she said on Facebook.

A Russian citizen, Kaplan has long lived in Ukraine. She holds and coordinates events in support of her brother jailed in Russia on politically motivated charges.

Poroshenko also granted Ukrainian citizenship to former Russian Russian MP Ilya Ponomarev.

"Today, on his last day of tenure, incumbent Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree to grant me Ukrainian citizenship in line with state interest," Ponomarev said on Facebook.

He plans to use his new status to improve Ukrainians' welfare because, in his opinion, Ukraine's success is key to changes in Russia.

Read LB.ua news on social networks Facebook, Twitter and Telegram