Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a new decree that extends Russian citizenship to foreigners who agree to serve in the Russian armed forces or military formations for at least one year during the ongoing "special military operation" in Ukraine, reports Tass.
This decree also benefits the immediate family members of these foreign servicemen.
According to the decree, which has been published on the portal of regulatory legal acts, the process for citizenship applications is expedited, taking no more than one month.
This move is seen as a significant shift from the previous policy implemented in September 2022, where foreigners had to commit to a three-year military contract and meet other residential requirements to be eligible for simplified citizenship.
The recent decree specifically highlights the ongoing military operation in Ukraine, underscoring the Russian government's efforts to bolster its military ranks. In the past months, there has been a noticeable push by Russian authorities to attract migrants from Central Asian countries, offering them a faster path to Russian citizenship in exchange for military service.
In parallel, there have been reports of Russian police conducting raids and arresting migrants who have already obtained Russian citizenship, followed by their transfer to military enlistment offices. This strategy indicates an increasing reliance on foreign recruits to sustain Russian military efforts in Ukraine.
