Russian lawmakers on Tuesday passed a bill enabling stateless individuals to sign military contracts, part of continuous efforts to strengthen troop numbers for the war in Ukraine.Members of the lower-house State Duma approved the bill, which was introduced by the Justice Ministry in April, in its 2nd and 3rd readings.
It changes existing laws on military service, defense and related issues.The legislation enables military employers to deal with stateless persons the same as foreign nationals seeking to enlist.
Those who total military service will be eligible to look for Russian citizenship through a simplified process.The bill now relocates to the upper-house Federation Council for a single vote before it is anticipated to be signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.
It will take effect the day it is signed.Lawmakers have said they want to draw in up to 5,000 stateless army recruits after the bill is signed into law.According to Federal Security Service (FSB) data, nearly 90,000 stateless people got in Russia in 2024 alone, though the figures may consist of repeat entries by the same individuals.Russias Interior Ministry, which does not distinguish between foreigners and stateless individuals in its reports, taped 5.93 million such individuals signing up for work in 2024.
Fewer than 1% have obtained work permits.Last year, Putin eased citizenship rules for foreigners serving in the Russian armed force, however the policy has actually not led to a substantial increase in enlistment, migration professional Vadim Kozhenkov told the business paper Vedomosti in April.