Putin made it easier for Belarusians, Moldovans and Kazakhs to obtain Russian citizenship

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a decree on simplifying obtaining Russian citizenship for citizens of Belarus, Moldova and Kazakhstan. Now they will not need to provide evidence that they have lived permanently in the country since the issuance of the residence permit, and to pass an exam on knowledge of the history of Russia and the foundations of statehood. Belarusians are also no longer required to confirm their command of the Russian language. For Kazakhs and Moldovans, the need to pass an exam in Russian remains.

In May, “Izvestia” with reference to the Institute of Social Analysis and Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences wrote that according to the situation at the beginning of 2023, about three million foreigners were working in Russia. “Vedomosti” clarifies that most of them are citizens of the CIS countries.

• Foreigners who have obtained Russian citizenship are subject, among other things, to conscription for military service or conscription. At the end of October, the head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander 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.
• 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.