Russians should be allowed to adopt orphans from DPR, LPR without Russian citizenship - Putin

MOSCOW. March 9 (Interfax) - Changes will be made to Russian legislation that will enable Russians to adopt orphaned children from the Donetsk (DPR) and Luhansk (LPR) People's Republics who have no Russian citizenship, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

"These are emergency circumstances, and it seems to me we need to think about the interests of children, and not about bureaucratic red tape. Make proposals. We will make a change to the legislation. We will turn to the State Duma, and I am certain that the deputies will support us," Putin said at a meeting with Russian Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova.

The absence of a Russian passport should not obstruct adoption and temporary placement of orphans in Russia, the president said.

"Why only with Russian? With any citizenship," Putin said.

A total of 1,090 orphaned children have now been evacuated from the DPR and LPR to Russia, Lvova-Belova said.

"If you would allow me, I would continue this work. We have already formed a register of those who have documents. And someone, maybe, for temporary placement, someone with Russian citizenship could already be placed," Lvova-Belova said.