Foreign mercenaries with criminal records will fight for Russia
Details
Members of the Tula parliament have introduced a draft law in the State Duma that allows foreign citizens who have been convicted of crimes on the territory of Russia to conclude contracts for service in the armed forces. The document is already available in the electronic database.
According to the proposed bill, the possibility of contracts applies to crimes committed before June 24, 2023. The initiators of the idea point out that in June 2023 a similar law was adopted for citizens of the Russian Federation.
"We believe that the replenishment of the armed forces of the Russian Federation with citizens of the above categories, who are ready to redeem their guilt to the state and society, will contribute to achieving the goals of the special ‘military operation’," the explanatory note says.
The authors of the draft law emphasize that the initiative was supported in the highest circles after President Putin met with the occupiers who took part in the war. During this meeting, the president touched upon the issue of volunteers who came to serve from places of imprisonment. At one point, the dictator stated that these people "gave their lives for the Motherland and redeemed their guilt to the fullest extent".
In November 2022, Putin approved a resolution that allows foreign citizens to serve in the Russian army. According to the adopted changes, foreign employees are covered by the same norms as Russian citizens wishing to serve under contract.
On January 4, 2024, the dictator signed an additional decree that paved the way for giving Russian citizenship to foreign citizens who contracted to serve in the army or in "military units" during the war.
Memorial to the fallen Moldovan soldiers of the Transnistrian War in Chisinau. Photo: Alexander Moisseenko
Thirty-three years ago, a ceasefire brought an end to the Transnistrian War—sometimes described by locals as the Russian-Moldovan War. Although the tensions officially ended in 1992, its consequences continue to shape Moldovan politics, society, and security — especially in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Finland is moving to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans anti-personnel mines. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the decision comes as a direct response to growing aggression from Russia.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has approved a set of controversial laws, including a “foreign agent” act aimed at NGOs and media. Critics say it mimics the U.S. FARA but is weaponized against dissent.
We regret to inform you that due to lack of funding we are forced to discontinue the English version of our website. This decision was not easy for us, as we have always strived to provide quality and timely information for our international audience and Russian-speaking readers. Unfortunately, the current financial realities leave us no other choice.
The Russian-language version of the site will continue to operate, but in a limited mode. We understand that this will create inconvenience for many of our readers, and we apologize for possible interruptions in the provision of news and analytical materials on this resource.
We appeal to you, our loyal readers, with a request to support our editorial staff. Your help will allow us to continue our work and provide you with important and relevant news. Please go to the support page and make your contribution to the development of independent journalism.
We thank you for your understanding and look forward to your support during this difficult time.
Memorial to the fallen Moldovan soldiers of the Transnistrian War in Chisinau. Photo: Alexander Moisseenko
Thirty-three years ago, a ceasefire brought an end to the Transnistrian War—sometimes described by locals as the Russian-Moldovan War. Although the tensions officially ended in 1992, its consequences continue to shape Moldovan politics, society, and security — especially in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The Russian capital faced one of the largest terrorist attacks in its history. The terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, which claimed the lives of many innocent people, was the second largest after the Beslan tragedy. But unlike previous attacks, this incident is shrouded in a layer of contradictory facts and ambiguities that point to possible miscalculations by the Russian security services
