Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an order that simplifies the process of acquiring Russian citizenship for foreigners serving in the Russian military during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
This order applies to foreigners who enlist in one-year contracts with the Russian army specifically during the crisis in Ukraine, referred to by the Kremlin as a “special military operation.” According to the order, these individuals and their family members will be able to apply for Russian citizenship more easily, without the requirement of a residence permit, as reported by Newsweek.
The decree builds upon legislation that was enacted by President Putin in September 2022, which included a condition that applicants must have participated in hostilities in Ukraine for at least six months. However, this requirement is not present in the latest version of the order.
This move comes ahead of Ukraine’s anticipated counteroffensive, and the Ukrainian military estimates that Russia’s losses will approach 200,000.
Putin has implemented a series of regulations aimed at increasing the number of troops in Russia’s war against Ukraine. In May, Russia’s parliament passed legislation eliminating the maximum age restriction for contractual duty in the Russian armed services.
In August 2022, Putin approved legislation to increase the size of the Russian army from 1.9 million to 2.04 million troops, which took effect on January 1.
In March, Putin issued an order to reduce the upper age limit for Russian National Guard personnel operating in areas of Ukraine controlled by Russian forces. The decision removed age restrictions for Russian nationals serving in the Federal Service of the Russian Federation’s National Guard Troops in the affected regions until January 1, 2026.
In the autumn of 2022, Putin illegally seized the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, following referendums that were deemed as fraudulent by US President Joe Biden. Russia does not have complete control over any of these territories, and international nations, particularly the United States, have condemned the actions as illegal.
The decree specifies that Russian citizens serving in the annexed regions will be evaluated through a military medical examination conducted in absentia to assess their fitness for service.
According to Western estimates, Ukraine has also suffered significant losses in the conflict. A report from the US Defense Intelligence Agency released in April indicated that Ukraine experienced 124,500-131,000 casualties, including 15,500-17,500 deaths and 109,000-113,500 injuries.
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