Putin promised simplified citizenship for relatives of foreigners fighting in Ukraine

The Russian authorities continue to recruit volunteers for the war in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin signed a decree according to which family members of foreigners participating in hostilities will be able to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified way. The document is published on the legal information portal.

The new decree amends another document that Putin signed last September. At that time, simplified citizenship could be obtained by foreigners taking part in the war who signed a contract with the Ministry of National Defense for at least a year. Now that right has been extended to their parents, wives and children. In addition, the new version of the Decree has changed the period for which the contract must be concluded: instead of “at least one year”, the wording is now used as “one year”.

Last year’s decree also noted that foreigners who were wounded or wounded in combat will be able to apply for a Russian passport for six months of participation in the war. If a foreigner acquires citizenship and dies in battle, his close relatives may also become Russian citizens.

Before Putin signed the decree last September, foreigners had to sign a five-year contract and serve at least three years.

At the same time, in April, a law on the possibility of depriving Russians of acquired citizenship came into force. It was presented to the State Duma by Putin himself. They can take away a Russian passport for terrorism, drug trafficking, forgery, desertion, sabotage, rehabilitation of Nazism, as well as calls for war or sanctions against Russia.

The Russian authorities have launched a large-scale campaign to recruit volunteers for the war in Ukraine. The Ministry of Defense makes propaganda films in which it urges potential soldiers to be “men” and sign a contract with the military ministry. Volunteers are promised to pay from 204 thousand rubles a month.

As reported by Bloomberg, the Kremlin hopes to avoid a new mobilization and send more than 400,000 troops to the front under the contract. troops before the end of the year.