The commission of the government of the Russian Federation has approved a number of proposals under which foreign citizens who have served in the Russian armed forces will not be subject to deportation, revocation of their patent, or transfer to another country, as reported by RBC.
Government Initiatives
At a meeting on Monday, the commission on legislative activity supported initiatives aimed at improving the legal status of foreigners and stateless persons who are serving or have served under military contracts, confirmed a source in the commission.
One of the bills considered was a proposal to amend the federal laws "On the Procedure for Entry into the Russian Federation and Exit from the Russian Federation of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons" and "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation".
If the bills are approved by the State Duma, the Federation Council, and signed by the president, a ban on deportation, readmission, and reduction of the temporary stay period in Russia will be introduced for foreign citizens and stateless persons. They will also not be deprived of temporary residence permits, residence permits, or work patents.
Additionally, a clause is proposed to be added to the law on the legal status of foreigners, stating that all decisions on deportation and entry restrictions made after February 24, 2022, will lose their force and will not be enforced.
Another approved bill concerns amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, under which Russia will not extradite foreigners for criminal prosecution if they have served or are serving in the military and have participated in combat operations.
The initiative to prohibit the administrative expulsion of such individuals was also supported if it is established that they served in the army and participated in combat operations.
Igor Cherepanov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Lawyers Association, noted that instead of expulsion, such citizens will face fines ranging from 1,000 to 50,000 rubles or mandatory work up to 200 hours. A ban on attending such events for up to seven years may be introduced for violations at sporting events.
Igor Cherepanov added that such measures are necessary to preserve military secrets, keeping foreign servicemen on the territory of Russia.
Impact of Initiatives on Foreigners
As reported by the official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Irina Volk, in 2024, more than 190,000 decisions on administrative expulsion and deportation were made, of which more than 157,000 foreign citizens were forcibly expelled. Additionally, this year, 267,200 applications for entry bans were submitted, which is 93,800 more than in 2023.
Lawyer Leonid Abgadzhan emphasized that the bill concerns not only future cases but also those decisions made after February 24, 2022. According to him, if a foreign citizen who was banned from entry in 2023 signs a contract with the Ministry of Defense, he will be able to "receive amnesty" and legally stay in the country.
Lawyer Lev Karmanov clarified that the amendments create a mechanism allowing foreigners to avoid deportation when signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense; however, termination of such a contract is only possible for strict reasons, such as reaching the maximum age or health problems.
According to Professor Alexander Safonov from the Financial University, the increased control by the Ministry of Internal Affairs is related to migrants in Russia without a specific purpose, which opens opportunities for criminal activity. He noted that the number of foreign citizens participating in the military operation will be insignificant compared to the total number of labor migrants in the country.
In February 2023, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing foreign citizens entering military service under contract to sign their first contract for one year instead of five. This summer, the decree was also expanded to grant the right to contract for stateless persons who can serve in the Russian armed forces.
