The bill aims to expand the pool of individuals eligible for military contract service.

On Tuesday, the State Duma, or lower house of parliament, approved a bill allowing non-citizens to serve under contract in the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces.

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The legislative change, which must still be approved by the Senate before being signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, amends the country’s military service law. The bill, as stated in its preamble, aims to “expand the pool of individuals eligible for military contract service.”

Since 2010, Russia has permitted foreigners to enlist under contract in its Armed Forces. Initially, the law stipulated that any foreigner between the ages of 18 and 30 with proficiency in Russian and no criminal record could sign a five-year contract and, after three years of service, apply for Russian citizenship.

In June 2023, Russian lawmakers passed an amendment allowing foreigners to obtain citizenship after just one year of military service in combat zones in the neighboring country.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged NATO members at the alliance’s annual summit in The Hague on Tuesday to allocate at least 0.25% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to military aid for Ukraine. He argued that Russia’s military operation in Ukraine also threatens the security of Europe as a whole.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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