Russia: You're not fighting with Ukraine? We'll take away your citizenship

Migrants who have received a Russian passport and do not want to fight against Ukraine should have their citizenship revoked, according to Moscow. The head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Aleksandr Bastrykin, issued a warning to foreigners who evade military service.

The uncertain situation regarding men with dual citizenship, including Russian, has been going on in Putin's country for several months. It is a result of the mass conscription of young people for armed conflict in Ukraine. This time, Aleksandr Bastrykin has commented on the situation, threatening the revocation of Russian citizenship.

The head of the Russian Federation Investigative Committee stated that having Russian citizenship must go hand in hand with readiness for military service for the country. In the present time, this is equivalent to fighting on the front in Ukraine. If this is not the case, the Russian passport should not be granted.

"While a special military operation is in progress, I think they [immigrants with Russian citizenship - ed.] should be involved in it. If you're not ready to fulfill your military duty as a citizen of Russia, we should make a decision to strip you of your citizenship" - Bastrykin's words are quoted by Radio Free Europe.

The topic of Russia sending foreigners to war has been discussed for several months. In August 2023, security force raids took place in certain regions of the country. Officials were searching for men who had obtained Russian citizenship but had not registered for military service. They handed out summonses to those sought for service, and even immediately took them to the military.

Furthermore, in April of this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an amendment to the law "On citizenship of the Russian Federation". According to the changes, avoiding military service can lead to a loss of acquired Russian citizenship.