Passports with special inserts listing the ethnicity of people from Arctic, Siberian and Far Eastern indigenous small numbered ethnic groups will not be issued, Igor Barinov, Head of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs, told TASS.

"We are, unfortunately, unable to opt for issuing special inserts. If we hand in such inserts for passports to young people aged 14 years and over, they will be able to move and study in some other city and stop leading a traditional lifestyle, but they would, nonetheless, continue to receive financial and legal support," he noted.

A federal register is being compiled to confirm the ethnicity of people in this category. "Regional and municipal authorities will confirm that the people to be included on this list really live at the place of their birth and lead a traditional lifestyle. Only those on the list will enjoy the benefits stipulated for representatives of these ethnic groups. We are simplifying the system, and this register will start functioning soon," he explained.

Earlier, agency experts drafted a law for compiling a federal register of Russia's indigenous small numbered peoples. On February 1, the draft document was posted on the federal website listing the drafted regulatory documents. An explanatory note to the document says Russian citizens living in areas of traditional residency, engaged in traditional economic activity and leading a traditional lifestyle will be included in the register.