Law of Ukraine on Citizenship of Ukraine111 Article 1: Definitions The following definitions shall apply in the context of this Law: - Ukrainian citizenship: legal connection between a given natural person and Ukraine in terms of mutual rights and obligations; - Citizen of Ukraine: a person granted Ukrainian citizenship in keeping with procedures established by the laws of Ukraine and international agreements to which Ukraine is a party; - Stateless person: a person not considered by any country as that country's citizen under that country's legislation; - Residing in Ukraine on lawful grounds: a stay in Ukraine by a foreigner or stateless person in possession of an old Soviet passport in the 1974 format, marked to the effect that the bearer is permanently or temporarily registered in the territory of Ukraine, or in possession of a foreign passport duly registered in Ukraine, or a certificate allowing permanent or temporary residence on the territory of Ukraine, or if a given person has refugee status or is granted asylum in Ukraine. Article 2: Principles of Ukrainian legislation concerning citizenship Ukrainian legislation concerning citizenship relies on the following principles: (1) Single citizenship, namely Ukrainian citizenship, ruling out the possibility of citizenship of political subdivisions of the territory of Ukraine; if a citizen of Ukraine becomes a citizen of any other country or countries, Ukrainian law shall recognise that citizen only as a Ukrainian subject; if a foreign citizen receives Ukrainian citizenship, Ukrainian law shall recognise that citizen as a Ukrainian subject; (2) Prevention of statelessness; (3) Impossibility of Ukrainian citizens being deprived of Ukrainian citizenship; (4) Recognition of the Ukrainian citizen's right to change citizenship; (5) Impossibility of a foreign subject or stateless person automatically becoming a citizen of Ukraine after marrying a Ukrainian citizen or of a Ukrainian citizen's wife (husband) becoming a Ukrainian citizen, or either of the spouses being a Ukrainian citizen automatically losing Ukrainian citizenship after divorce, or if the other spouse terminates Ukrainian citizenship; (6) Equality of Ukrainian citizens before the law, regardless of why, how or when they became citizens of Ukraine; (7) Retention of Ukrainian citizenship regardless of the place of residence. Article 3: Belonging to citizenship of Ukraine Citizens of Ukraine are: (1) All citizens of the former USSR who were permanent residents of Ukraine on the date of proclamation of its independence (24 August 1991); (2) Persons regardless of race, colour, political, religious and other beliefs, sex, ethnic and social origin, property status, place of residence, language or other distinctions, who lived in Ukraine 111 Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, “Law of Ukraine on the Citizenship of Ukraine”, 18 January 2001, <http://zakon2.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2235-14>. English translation available at: <http://www.legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/7179>. 50