Russia's decision to facilitate the issuance of Russian passports to residents of Donetsk and Luhansk goes against the Minsk Agreements, the German Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

"Russia's announcement contravenes the spirit and aims of the Minsk agreements. That is the opposite of the urgently needed de-escalation," the ministry said on Twitter.

It said France also denounced this decision.

"Germany and France condemn the Russian decree that minimizes the requirements for people in eastern #Ukraine to become Russian citizens. These regions are part of Ukraine's national territory," it said.

It was reported earlier that Russian President Vladimir Putin had signed the decree 'On determining categories of individuals entitled to apply for Russian citizenship in line with a simplified procedure for humanitarian purposes,' which grants this right to those permanently residing in certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.