Key Takeaways
• Russia has drafted 20,000 naturalized migrants, mostly from Central Asia, to fight in Ukraine.
• New 2024 laws allow revoking citizenship if migrants fail to register for military service.
• Raids target unregistered migrants, forcing enlistment or deportation to home countries.
Russia’s Approach: Drafting 20,000 Migrants for Military Service
Russia 🇷🇺 has taken new steps in how it fills its army, especially as the conflict in Ukraine goes on. Authorities are now sending migrants who have become Russian citizens to the front lines. At the center of this effort is the Investigative Committee, which says that 20,000 naturalized citizens—mostly from Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan 🇺🇿, Tajikistan 🇹🇯, and Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬—have already been sent to fight in Ukraine. This has gained attention around the world, raising questions about Russia’s rules, how it recruits soldiers, and what happens to the people involved.
How Are Migrants Being Drafted?
In recent months, Russia 🇷🇺 has focused more on making sure naturalized migrants fulfill their military duties. This includes:
- Regular raids in places where many migrants live.
- Checks and questioning by the Investigative Committee, Interior Ministry, and National Guard.
- Looking for anyone who became a Russian citizen but has not signed up for the military as the law requires.
Law enforcement has found more than 80,000 naturalized Russians who did not sign up for military service after getting their passports. Out of these, 20,000 have already been sent to Ukraine. Most of these new soldiers are young men from Central Asia.
During a legal forum in St. Petersburg, Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigative Committee, gave a clear message. He said, “Already 20,000 ‘young’ citizens of Russia, who for some reason do not like living in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, are on the front lines.” His comments reflect a view among Russian officials that questions the loyalty and choices of these naturalized citizens.
Legal Requirements and Pressure
Becoming a Russian citizen involves more than just getting a passport. By Russian law, all citizens—whether born in Russia or just recently naturalized—must register for military service within two weeks of getting Russian citizenship. Failing to do so is a serious issue.
In summer 2024, new laws were passed that make these rules even tougher. Now, if a newly made citizen does not register for military service, Russian courts can take away their citizenship. This places naturalized migrants in a difficult position. If they do not step forward and sign up, they could lose their right to stay in Russia 🇷🇺 and face deportation back to their home countries.
Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigative Committee, has described this as a “trick” or a “feature” of the Russian system. For many migrants, this means they must either serve in the military or risk being sent home.
How the Raids Work
Russian law enforcement has grown much more active in places with big migrant communities. Officers carry out regular checks, sometimes early in the morning or late at night. If officers find that someone has not signed up for military service, they can take that person into custody. From there, the migrant faces a choice: enlist and face possible deployment to Ukraine, or lose Russian citizenship and be sent back to their country of origin.
According to reports, this is not just a warning. Russian courts have already started removing citizenship from people who do not meet the requirements. This move is supported by official orders from law enforcement, not just random threats.
The Investigative Committee gives direct orders to the Interior Ministry and National Guard to search for those who have not registered. It is a broad and ongoing effort that signals how important the issue is to Russian leaders.
Why Focus on Migrants Now?
This focus on naturalized citizens is not happening by accident. Russia 🇷🇺 is trying to avoid another large-scale draft like the one in 2022. When that happened, hundreds of thousands of Russians left the country, causing a huge backlash inside Russia.
To avoid upsetting the local population, the Russian government has started targeting those who are seen as “outsiders” or less likely to openly resist—mainly, migrants from Central Asian countries who have recently become Russian citizens.
Authorities believe they can keep up army recruitment and avoid anger from citizens born in Russia at the same time. This, in part, protects the government from more protests or people running away from Russia as they did before.
Wider Recruitment Efforts
The Russian government is not only focusing on migrants who have become citizens. Since the fighting in Ukraine began, officials have tried several ways to recruit soldiers, including:
- Monthly recruitment drives, where 30,000 to 40,000 new soldiers are brought in, as reported by Western intelligence.
- Offering financial bonuses that make joining the army more appealing.
- Giving reduced punishments for prisoners if they agree to go to the front lines.
- Trying to enlist people who are facing legal charges or have big money problems.
In March 2025, President Putin approved a spring draft that aimed to bring in 160,000 men. This is the largest draft in Russia in over 14 years. These numbers highlight the great need for new troops and the pressure the government feels to maintain a steady army size.
Analysis from VisaVerge.com suggests that the Russian recruitment strategy is different from past years. Instead of a single, large mobilization—which caused chaos and unrest—the Kremlin uses many smaller, targeted efforts to get the needed soldiers quietly.
Financial Rewards and Risks
For many migrants and Russians with fewer job options, the army’s bonuses and paychecks seem helpful. The Russian government has used these financial rewards to attract new recruits. However, people who join the army also face big dangers. Many see being sent to Ukraine as a life-risking move due to the ongoing conflict. Others see joining the army as their only way to stay inside Russia without being deported.
Many migrants are aware of the risks but are trapped by limited choices. Some have families who depend on their income in Russia. Losing their legal status or every right they have earned could mean not only losing their own safety but also hurting their families’ lives.
International Viewpoints and Criticism
The use of naturalized migrants for army service has drawn criticism both inside and outside Russia. Human rights groups say these forced enlistments and the threat of losing citizenship break international rules that should protect migrants and new citizens.
They warn that targeting specific groups—like Central Asian migrants—could fuel xenophobia, meaning fear or dislike of people from other countries. It also creates fear inside Russian migrant communities, where many now worry about raids, deportation, and being forced to serve in the military.
Governments of countries like Uzbekistan 🇺🇿, Tajikistan 🇹🇯, and Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬 have made statements about the safety and rights of their former citizens now living in Russia. They are concerned that their people might be pressured into fighting in a foreign war—a situation that some say breaks their own national rules.
Possible Long-Term Results
This strong push to send migrants to the army could lead to many changes in Russia’s immigrant population in the future.
- Migrants who might consider becoming Russian citizens could now think twice before applying, worried about being drafted.
- People who have already become citizens may try to keep a low profile or avoid official contact with the government to stay off the radar.
- Some naturalized migrants may try to leave Russia completely, fearing they might be caught in the military draft.
Experts also worry this approach could damage Russia’s image on the world stage. Sending newly naturalized citizens—especially those who moved to Russia for peaceful reasons like work or family—could make other countries rethink their relationship with Russia. At the same time, it could make Russia’s own workforce smaller. Many migrants take jobs that are hard to fill with local workers, especially in construction, food service, and transportation.
Legal and Moral Debates
The new citizenship laws in Russia are contentious, even among Russian lawmakers and legal experts. On one hand, supporters say Russia must protect itself and that all citizens, new or old, have duties, including military service. On the other hand, critics say that threatening to take away citizenship is too extreme and could break the basic agreement of what citizenship means.
Bastrykin’s label of the policy as a “trick” shows that even among officials, there is an awareness of how harsh the system can seem. The debate continues inside Russia and in international circles, with no clear answer yet.
What Should Migrants Know?
Those who become Russian citizens, or are planning to, should pay close attention to Russian laws about military service. Current rules say you must register for the draft within two weeks of getting your Russian passport. Failing to do this can lead to serious trouble, including losing your citizenship and being deported.
People who have questions or need help understanding these laws can seek direct information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, which provides official details on citizenship requirements and military service obligations.
It is also wise for migrants to keep good records and avoid any behavior that might get the attention of law enforcement. Working with legal experts who know Russia’s citizenship and military laws can help migrants avoid the risk of losing their status.
Summary and Next Steps
Russia’s decision to draft 20,000 migrants who recently became citizens shows just how seriously it takes its military needs. The combined pressure from the Investigative Committee, National Guard, and Interior Ministry is changing the way Russia treats new citizens—especially those from Central Asian countries.
The policy leaves many migrants facing a tough decision: serve in the armed forces and risk dangerous deployment, or lose all the rights they moved to Russia to gain. With more legal changes expected, it is crucial for current and future migrants to stay informed about the official requirements, possible risks, and support options.
By focusing its recruitment on naturalized citizens, the Russian government manages to keep army numbers high while avoiding another large-scale draft that could upset the general population. Still, this approach also brings new worries for immigrants, neighboring countries, and groups that support migrants’ rights.
As Russian policies develop, migrants must stay alert about what changing laws mean for them and their families. Seeking help from official sources and legal professionals, and keeping records up to date, can make a big difference in staying on the right side of the law.
For more in-depth coverage and up-to-date details on global immigration trends, you can always rely on trusted platforms like VisaVerge.com, which monitors and analyzes such developments carefully.
Keeping up with official updates and possible policy shifts is the surest path to staying safe, informed, and secure in Russia 🇷🇺 — especially as the rules keep changing and the stakes get higher for migrants and naturalized citizens alike.
Learn Today
Naturalized Citizen → A person who acquires citizenship of a country after birth through legal processes.
Investigative Committee → Russian federal agency leading the enforcement of military registration among migrants.
Military Service Registration → The legal requirement for citizens to sign up for conscription within two weeks of citizenship.
Revocation of Citizenship → Legal removal of citizenship from individuals who fail to meet military service obligations.
Draft → A government-ordered enlistment of civilians into the military, often during times of conflict.
This Article in a Nutshell
Russia is drafting 20,000 naturalized Central Asian migrants for the Ukraine war, using strict laws and raids. Migrants face a choice: military service or losing citizenship. This strategy avoids unrest in native citizens but raises human rights concerns about forced conscription and targeted pressure on new citizens.
— By VisaVerge.com
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