Dozens of migrants in Yekaterinburg were served summonses

Since the end of November 2023, law enforcement agencies in Russia have been conducting raids to find foreigners who have recently obtained Russian citizenship.

According to local media, military investigators from the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Yekaterinburg garrison, along with police and representatives of the Federal Migration Service in the Sverdlovsk region, have detained and registered about 450 migrants in a month.

Of these, 150 detainees have already signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense of Russia and will be sent to fight in Ukraine.

It is still unknown how many citizens of Tajikistan have signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense.

It is also reported that law enforcement conducted several raids in shopping centers in the city. All individuals of non-Slavic appearance were questioned, detained, or served summonses. A total of 15 migrants who had previously obtained Russian citizenship but were evading military service were detained, according to the report.

Earlier, it was reported that in St. Petersburg on New Year’s Eve, about 3,000 migrants were detained and taken from the city center to police stations. More than 600 of those detained were in the country in violation of migration legislation, and administrative protocols were drawn up against them. Over 100 individuals may be deported, the report noted.

According to eyewitnesses, law enforcement agencies are primarily looking for migrants who have recently obtained Russian citizenship.

In recent months, law enforcement and military agencies in Russia have been detaining migrants who have obtained Russian citizenship, while officials are suggesting sending migrants to fight in Ukraine first.

Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin simplified the process for foreigners to obtain Russian citizenship, which experts believe is aimed at attracting more servicemen from among migrants from Central Asia.