Russia Deploys 10,000 Naturalised Citizens to Ukraine Amid Manpower Shortage

In a significant development amidst its ongoing war in Ukraine, Russia has deployed 10,000 naturalised citizens to the war zone.

The decision, announced by a senior federal law enforcement official, highlights Moscow’s pressing need for additional manpower in the face of its prolonged military engagement.

Mandatory Military Registration

Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, revealed this development during a law forum in St. Petersburg. He noted that male migrants who acquire Russian citizenship are legally obligated to register with the military, making them eligible for conscription during periods of mobilisation.

“We’ve begun to implement constitutional and legal provisions [and] caught more than 30,000 of those who received citizenship but were unwilling to register with the military,” Bastrykin stated. Out of these, approximately 10,000 individuals have been dispatched to the area designated for the special military operation, a term the Kremlin uses to refer to its invasion of Ukraine.

Roles in the War Zone

According to Bastrykin, these naturalised citizens are primarily engaged in non-combat roles such as digging trenches and constructing fortifications. This strategic deployment allegedly aims to bolster the infrastructure supporting frontline operations without exposing the new recruits to direct combat.

The remarks were made during a session dedicated to migration policy, with the proceedings broadcast live and later disseminated via the Ostorozhno Novosti Telegram news channel.

Migration and Military Service

Bastrykin highlighted the impact of military registration and deployment on migration patterns, describing it as a “trick that led migrants to slowly begin leaving Russia.”

This tactic aligns with recent reports from independent Russian media, which suggest that law enforcement agencies have been exerting pressure on migrant workers, particularly from Central Asia, through legal harassment and threats of fabricated charges. These measures are reportedly aimed at coercing migrants into enlisting in the Russian armed forces in exchange for citizenship or to avoid arrest.

Russian independent media have previously reported that Russian law enforcement agencies are conducting a campaign of legal harassment against migrants, especially from Central Asia, trying to persuade them to join the Russian armed forces in exchange for citizenship or to avoid arrest on fabricated charges.

This is another way for Russia to increase army recruitment while simultaneously trying to limit the impact on those parts of the Russian population that have greater political activity.

Increasing Migrant Arrivals

The discussion at the law forum also touched on the substantial influx of migrants into Russia’s major cities. Bastrykin cited that 3 million migrants had arrived in Moscow and St. Petersburg in the first four months of 2024 alone. In response to this surge, he called for more stringent laws to control the flow of migrants.

This push for tighter migration controls coincides with efforts to bolster Russia’s military capacity through the recruitment of naturalised citizens.

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