ISW: Russia wants to limit rights of migrants to coerce them to fight against Ukraine
Restrictions on migration status envisaged in the bill drafted by Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs are likely intended to make military service one of the few options to stay in the country.
This is said in a report by the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrinform reports.
Russia’s news agency TASS reported on November 28 that the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs drafted a proposed bill that would create a “controlled stay” regime in Russia for migrants who do not have legal grounds for staying in the country.
The bill will reportedly propose the following restrictions on migrants in Russia on the controlled stay regime: a ban on the migrants’ ability to register legal entities and as individual entrepreneurs, engage in real estate transactions, purchase and sell vehicles, drive a car, obtain a driver’s license, open a bank account, transfer money, or get married.
In addition, the draft bill will reportedly require migrants living under the regime to notify authorities about their residence and travel from Russia and will subject migrants who violate the restrictions to deportation or detention in a special facility.
“Russian officials appear to be attempting to further disenfranchise migrants living in Russia, likely to support ongoing efforts to coerce migrants into military service while also appeasing increasingly xenophobic Russian ultranationalists,” ISW experts said.
It is also noted that the restrictions of the proposed migration status likely aim to further alienate large numbers of migrants from economic and social life in Russia and make military service one of the few avenues for remaining in the country.
In addition, Russian authorities are also engaged in a parallel effort to compel migrants to fight in Ukraine in exchange for Russian citizenship.
Earlier, the UK Ministry of Defence in its intelligence update said that Russia likely wishes to avoid further unpopular domestic mobilisation measures in the run up to the 2024 Presidential elections.