Head of Russia's Investigative Committee Proposes to Send Migrants to the Frontline

The head of Russia's Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, announced at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum that the number of murders committed by migrants has increased by 18% annually. In this context, he recounted an idea he read on social media from the Red Cross, which suggested sending migrants to the area of special operations, and if they refuse, sending them back to their homeland. Local media report on this.

“While brave soldiers are under fire in the trenches, migrants are creating terror in Russia. People suggest that if they are citizens of the Russian Federation, they should go to the front lines. And if they do not have citizenship and cannot go to the battlefield, they should return to their homeland,” said Bastrykin.

According to statistics referenced by Alexander Bastrykin, there were 12 million migrants in Russia in 2021, and the number rose to 14.5 million in 2022. At the same time, he noted that the number of serious and especially serious crimes committed by migrants is expected to increase to between 11,000 and 15,000, with murders alone increasing by 18%. “This means that the number of migrants is increasing, and so is the number of serious crimes committed by them,” he stated.

Alexander Bastrykin did not specify who had proposed such measures. However, the day before, on May 10, State Duma Deputy Mikhail Matveev announced the drafting of a bill that would allow migrants with Russian citizenship to be sent to Ukraine in the special military operation zone. According to current legislation, dual citizens are not subject to conscription but can only join the Russian Armed Forces as volunteers by signing a contract.