Kremlin will drag applicants for Russian citizenship into war with Ukraine

The Centre for Strategic Communications writes about this after Russian leader Vladimir Putin signed a decree to simplify the acquisition of Russian citizenship by citizens of Belarus, Moldova and Kazakhstan.

"Russia is waging a full-scale war against Ukraine, in which the Russian military command does not spare its subordinates. Every day, Russian occupiers' personnel suffer enormous losses at the front. To continue the war in the 'Russian style', the Kremlin needs more 'cannon fodder' than the population of the Russian Federation is capable of supplying," the Centre for Strategic Communications explains.

The Centre emphasizes that the Russian forces are violating the Geneva Conventions and massively recruiting Ukrainian citizens who are currently under occupation to the combat units of the Russian Armed Forces.

"Socially vulnerable categories, such as labor migrants, to whom Russia promises its citizenship in exchange for participation in the war with Ukraine, are also a resource for continuing the aggression," the article says.

The purpose of distributing Russian passports to citizens of Belarus, Moldova and Kazakhstan is similar.

"In addition, there is a growing threat of Russia's use of force against these countries if they do not agree to donate human resources to the front," analysts say.

• Since the beginning of the Russian occupation of Crimea, 44,005 local residents have been drafted into the Russian army. About 500 people have been prosecuted for refusing to serve.