While the war in Ukraine is still going on, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order fast-tracking the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for foreigners who serve in his military. It is applicable to foreign nationals who sign one-year contracts to serve in the Russian army during the Ukrainian crisis, which the Kremlin refers to as a “special military operation.” The directive states that those people and their family members would be able to apply for Russian citizenship more quickly and simply without the need for a residence permit, according to Newsweek.
The directive builds on a piece of legislation that the Russian president signed into law in September 2022, which included a requirement that candidates take part in hostilities in Ukraine for at least six months. The most recent version does not include this requirement. The action comes before Ukraine’s eagerly anticipated counteroffensive, and according to Ukrainian military estimates, Russia will suffer losses approaching 200,000. In order to increase the number of troops fighting in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, Putin has enacted a number of orders. The Russian parliament passed legislation in May eliminating the maximum age limit for contractual duty in the Russian armed forces in response to the widespread deaths in Ukraine.
The Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, were illegally annexed by Putin in the autumn of 2022
Putin signed legislation in August 2022 boosting the size of his army from 1.9 million to 2.04 million soldiers. It became effective on January 1st. Putin signed an order in March lowering the maximum age for Russian National Guard members working in regions of Ukraine under their control. The decision eliminates age restrictions for Russian citizens serving in the National Guard Troops of the Federal Service of the Russian Federation in the relevant districts until January 1, 2026. The Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, were illegally annexed by Putin in the autumn of 2022 after what US President Joe Biden called “sham” referendums. Russia does not have complete authority over any of the territories, and international nations, notably the United States, have condemned the action as illegal.
According to the regulation, Russian residents serving in annexation zones would instead be subjected to an in-person military medical check to determine their readiness. Ukrainian losses in the conflict have also been high, according to Western estimations. Ukraine suffered 124,500–131,000 casualties, including 15,500–17,500 fatalities and 109,000–113,500 injuries, according to a US Defence Intelligence Agency study published in April.
