Anti-migration raids in Southern Russia are part of recruiting campaign of contract soldiers

In Southern Russia, authorities have launched an agitation campaign, offering migrants from Central Asia and those who recently received Russian citizenship some remuneration for their consent to be sent to the special military operation (SMO) zone; otherwise these people are threatened with punishment. Law enforcers are actively involved in this campaign, conducting raids aimed at revealing violations of the migration legislation, analysts have noted.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 11, the branch of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) for the Rostov Region reported about the raids conducted in the Aksaysky District. Ten violators of the migration legislation were banned from entering Russia, and other 39 persons were served summonses to the military commissariats (registration and enlistment offices).

Umid Bobomatov, a journalist, has noted that for the natives of Uzbekistan, who had just received Russian citizenship, refusing a summons to the military commissariat threatens criminal prosecution. "That's why many of my friends (natives of Central Asia) with Russian citizenship have left for Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Europe," he said.

Arseny Levinson, a lawyer, has stated that on August 8, a law came into force in Russia that allows those who had failed to get registered for military service to be deprived of their acquired citizenship. "This was done to increase pressure on new citizens to force them to serve in the Russian Army," he has explained.