Russian State Duma wants to extend military service for migrants applying for Russian citizenship

The State Duma of the Russian Federation plans to amend current legislation to extend military service for people who have recently obtained Russian citizenship. The conscription age for migrants will also be increased.

According to the Russian parliament’s press service, a new draft law requiring migrants to register with conscription centers was initiated by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin. If the document is adopted, obtaining Russian citizenship will come with mandatory military registration. Moreover, new citizens will be obliged to serve two years instead of the 12 months required for those born in Russia.

Another new measure is the increase in the conscription age for migrants applying for Russian citizenship. Currently, men from 18 to 30 are considered of military age.

The State Duma hasn’t yet clarified the upper age limit for migrants. Earlier this year, a group of MPs from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) and the United Russia party proposed raising the conscription age for naturalized people to 50 years. After criticism from Volodin, that draft law was withdrawn from the parliament.

The State Duma speaker has already instructed his deputy Irina Yarovaya, First Deputy Head of United Russia Dmitry Vyatkin and Head of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrey Kartopolov to focus on his initiative and adopt the draft law before August 4, the end of the State Duma’s spring session.

In early July, the State Duma approved a draft law allowing the exclusion of migrants from Russia without a court-approved warrant. In addition, authorities have expanded the list of violations that could lead to expulsions, such as disorderly conduct, propaganda, public display of Nazi symbols or disobeying orders from a police officer.

Once the draft law is adopted, the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs will be also able to expel migrants with expired or nullified documents. According to Volodin, this measure would prevent migrants from purchasing property and cars, taking loans, marrying locals or traveling across Russia.