Russia needs soldiers for its bloody war in Ukraine – and is not afraid of unscrupulous methods to find new fighters. The Kremlin’s recruitment campaign is now targeting migrants from Central Asia. Many newly naturalized men were reportedly arrested and forcibly dragged to conscription officers.
The partial mobilization a year ago caused horror in Russia. “For many Russians, this was the point at which their country’s war against Ukraine was finally felt,” the Russian exile media “Meduza” reported. Since then, the Kremlin has been looking for new fighters even in remote areas such as Cuba. Some of them are lured into military service with high wages, but also with false promises.
Raids and arrests of migrants
But the army also finds new ‘volunteers’ for the military operation in their own country. In August, a series of police raids were carried out against newly naturalized Russians, especially those of military age. The arrests were justified because the men from Central Asia had not complied with mandatory military registration.
“Police officers came in and asked everyone to show their migration papers. Mine were fine, but I was scared; it is never pleasant to deal with Russian police,” said an affected migrant worker from Kyrgyzstan. “Several men received military summonses and I think three or maybe four became violent [zu einem Rekrutierungsbüro] brought,” he remembers.
Lawyer: “Wave of repression to replenish military reserves”
“The authorities justify these raids by saying that migrants forget to register with the military when they become citizens of the Russian Federation. Apparently, this is the way the security forces help new citizens ‘fulfill their duties’,” explains lawyer Valeria Vetoshkina. “This is a new wave of repression targeting the reserves [des Militärs] “To supplement and increase the number of people who can be called up for mandatory military service next fall,” the lawyer said.
Risk of loss of citizenship
Anyone who refuses risks losing their citizenship in the future; a corresponding bill was introduced at the end of August. “Foreigners who have been granted citizenship of the Russian Federation often avoid registering for military service, ignoring the fact that this citizenship entails not only rights but also associated obligations,” said MP Mikhail Matveyev. There were previously plans for an even more draconian punishment: relatives of those who refused military service would also have their citizenship revoked. However, this was ultimately left out of the bill.
Source: Krone
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