E-Paper
Quick citizenship for foreigners who fight for Russia in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin's new plan
Russia-Ukraine War: The move comes ahead of the highly anticipated counteroffensive by Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree which is set to simplify the process of obtaining Russian citizenship for foreign nationals who serve in the country's military amid Ukraine war. The decree applies to foreign citizens who enter into contracts with the Russian army for a period of one year.
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Those individuals and their family members who serve in the army will be able to apply for Russian citizenship without the need to obtain a residence permit. This follows legislation in Russia which included a requirement for applicants to be involved in hostilities in Ukraine for at least six months.
The move comes ahead of the highly anticipated counteroffensive by Ukraine. The Russian President has signed a number of decrees aimed at boosting his troop numbers amid losses. Last year, Russia's parliament approved legislation that removed the upper age limit for contractual service in the army.
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In August 2022, Vladimir Putin signed a decree to increase the size of his army and recently signed another one to remove the upper age limit for Russian National Guard members serving in parts of Ukraine that are under the control of Moscow's forces.
The Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were annexed by Russia in 2022 following referendums which have been denounced by Ukraine and the West as "sham".
