Russia claims to have captured thousands of migrants and sent them to Ukraine

Alexander Bastrikin, Head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, has claimed that the Russian authorities started to capture migrants, who have recently obtained Russian citizenship, and send them to the war of conquest in Ukraine – over 30,000 foreigners have been captured, and 10,000 of them were sent to the combat zone.

Source: Russia service of Interfax; Meduza

Quote: "We started implementing the provisions of the Constitution and our laws under which the individuals who obtained Russian citizenship must be put on military record and, if needed, participate in the special military operation [a Russian propaganda term for the war in Ukraine – ed.]."

Details: Bastrikin claimed that the investigators "have identified over 30,000 individuals who have obtained citizenship but are not willing to be put on military record, and put them on military record".

"About 10,000 of them have been sent to the zone of the special military operation," he said.

"We get asked: ‘What are these individuals needed there for?’ – well, for digging trenches and building fortifications. Strong working hands are needed for this. Today they are joining the ranks of our rear units," Bastrikin claimed.

During his speech he suggested changing Russia’s migration policy: "I think the most important thing is to change the migration policy of Russia, to reason the necessity of this change, and possibly even to solve our political, economic, national and other problems with our domestic resources," he said.

Reportedly, Russian law enforcement regularly raid industrial facilities where labour migrants work at. They are handed subpoenas or taken to military enlistment offices. Migrants without Russian citizenship are promised to obtain Russian passports on an expedited basis if they sign a contract with the Ministry of Defence of Russia.

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