Foreigners Without Russian Citizenship Are Being Drafted Under Threats, Migration Expert Says

In Russia, amidst mobilization efforts, foreigners without Russian citizenship are also being drafted. This trend has been ongoing for months, where individuals are being compelled or threatened in various ways to enlist.

Migration expert Tatevik Bezhanyan told Lragir.am in an interview that there have been such reports since the fall of last year. Videos circulating online confirm these claims. In one video, a foreigner is told at a recruitment office, "It doesn’t matter if you are a citizen or not; you live here, fulfill your duty, our president has given the orders." They then threaten that if they do not serve, they will "speak to them in the language of the law."

Another video shows police asking a foreigner on the street why they have come to Russia, questioning whether it is with the intent to commit robbery. When the individual responds that they came for work, the officer says, "In that case, be honored to go serve. You’ve come to Russia, be honored to protect the country." Bezhanyan noted that these videos demonstrate attempts to intimidate people into enlistment.

"Let’s not forget that we are dealing with Russia," Bezhanyan remarked.

She explained that in Moscow's Sakharovo Center, where foreigners undergo medical examinations to extend their migration registration or to obtain permits, points were established as early as October-November of last year. These points attempted to engage these individuals in military service.

"At these points, speaking Uzbek, Tajik, and Kyrgyz, they tried to recruit citizens of these countries to become contract soldiers. In other words, they persuaded them in their native languages to sign voluntary contracts to go fight in Ukraine. In return, they promised citizenship and substantial sums of money immediately after returning from the war. The catch is that citizenship and money aren't provided at the time of signing the contract; the person must return first. That's a promise—life or death in exchange," she said.

Fortunately, the Kyrgyz embassy acted quickly, asserting that only embassy staff could operate at that location. They began to persuade people in Kyrgyz to refrain from engaging in such activities. As a result, the fewest Kyrgyz citizens signed such contracts, while citizens from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan were pressured, and in some cases, blackmailed into signing agreements.

Initially, it seemed to be working, but eventually, people understood what was happening," Bezhanyan added.

Regarding Armenian citizens, only one report has been received. "An investigator called an Armenian citizen and said that they were involved as a witness in a criminal case. The crime had taken place in a city where our citizen had never even been. They said the investigator spent 2-3 minutes talking about the criminal case, but 40 minutes trying to persuade me to sign a contract. The citizen stated that when they refused, the investigator said upon leaving, 'Remember, you are involved as a witness in a criminal case, but you can easily become a suspect.' In other words, they threatened, and our citizen returned to Armenia immediately," Bezhanyan explained.

She noted that human rights defenders have reported that all foreign prisoners without Russian citizenship are being loaded into vehicles and directly taken to the frontline. Embassies are not being informed about this, and these people are simply being packed into vehicles and taken away.

Bezhanyan emphasized that Armenian authorities must actively work to bring Armenians in Russia back to their homeland. "I tell the relevant authorities every day to create opportunities for these people not to go. If you see that they can't find a job for the demanded salary in Armenia, they must leave for foreign work. At the very least, direct them to other countries. For instance, Armenia has had a labor agreement with Bulgaria for 5 years; direct these people and facilitate these contracts. Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are already creating alternatives for their citizens regarding labor migration. It is absurd that Armenia is 96% dependent on Russia for labor migration; when something changes there, it directly affects our transfers and migration flows," she said.

According to Bezhanyan, in 2022 alone, 32,000 Armenian citizens obtained Russian citizenship. Since 2018, about 120,000 Armenian citizens have acquired Russian citizenship. "And now these people are in danger because they are Russian citizens, and they will be taken to the front. Steps need to be taken; let’s understand that if we want to keep our citizens here as much as possible, then we must create that opportunity. And if we do not want to be 100% dependent on Russia, then let’s look for alternatives," she concluded.