Foreign mercenaries who fought on the side of Russia will be given citizenship

The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, signed a decree on the admission to Russian citizenship of foreigners fighting on the side of Russia during the invasion of Ukraine. The document is published on the portal of regulatory and legal acts.

According to the decree, foreign mercenaries who signed a contract for service in the army or in “military formations” during the SVO period will receive citizenship. The contract must be concluded for a period of at least one year. Members of mercenary families will also be able to obtain citizenship.

Foreigners who resigned from the Russian armed forces during the “SVO” period due to health reasons, upon expiration of the contract, upon reaching the age limit, or due to the termination of martial law may also apply for Russian citizenship.

Putin also signed a decree that grants the right to apply for Russian citizenship to citizens of Ukraine who were born and permanently resided in Crimea or Sevastopol until March 18, 2014.

• In the spring, Putin signed a decree that allows foreign citizens who signed contracts for military service in the Russian army during the war to receive citizenship in a simplified manner.
• Earlier, the head of the Investigative Committee, Aleksandr Bastrykin, suggested that migrants who received Russian passports should be denied citizenship if they do not want to take part in the war against Ukraine.