Latest news with #Bastrykin
Russia Today
6 days ago
- General
- Russia Today
Foreign-made explosives used in railway terrorist attacks
Explosives used to blow up two railway bridges in Russia over the weekend were foreign-made, the head of Russia's Investigative Committee Aleksandr Bastrykin has announced. The attack, which claimed the lives of seven civilians, was organized by Ukrainian intelligence, he added. DETAILS TO FOLLOW
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia has sent 20,000 naturalized citizens to the front
Russian authorities say they have sent some 20,000 migrants to fight in the war against Ukraine after granting them citizenship. Military investigators regularly carried out raids to find newly naturalized men who did not want to register with the military, said Alexander Bastrykin, head of the Investigative Committee, according to the state news agency TASS on Tuesday. "We have fished out 80,000 and registered them for military service, and 20,000 of these 'young' citizens of Russia, who for some reason do not like living in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan, are already on the front line," he added. More than 30 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia is still the destination for many immigrants, especially from the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. In the countries mentioned by Bastrykin, the standard of living is significantly lower than in Russia and there is a lack of jobs, so many young men come as guest workers and then try to obtain Russian citizenship. The Kremlin also relies on financial incentives to attract volunteers to the front, especially from Russia's poor regions. In addition, soldiers loyal to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, an ally of the Kremlin, have also been deployed in recent months to recapture parts of the western Russian region of Kursk. There are also regular reports of citizens from other countries such as China, India, Cuba, Senegal and Togo being recruited.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia sends 20,000 recently naturalized citizens to fight in Ukraine, top official says
Russian law enforcement agencies have sent 20,000 naturalized migrants to fight in Ukraine for failing to register for military service, Investigative Committee Head Alexander Bastrykin said on May 20, according to state-owned TASS. The revelation signals an intensifying crackdown on Russia's migrant population as the Kremlin struggles to meet front line manpower needs. "Already 20,000 'young' citizens of Russia, who for some reason do not like living in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, are on the front lines," Bastrykin said during the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum. He said he had ordered military investigators, police, and Russia's National Guard to conduct regular raids on areas where migrants live to catch those evading military registration. Bastrykin earlier claimed many foreigners had begun "slowly" leaving Russia to avoid conscription and described the forced deployment of naturalized citizens as a "trick" to target migrants while fulfilling constitutional requirements. The statement comes as Russian forces continue monthly recruitment drives of 30,000 to 40,000 people, according to Western intelligence cited by the Wall Street Journal. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us With the memory of the unpopular 2022 partial mobilization still fresh — when more than 261,000 Russians fled the country — the Kremlin has avoided another mass draft. Instead, it has turned to aggressive enlistment campaigns and financial incentives. On March 31, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized the spring conscription of 160,000 men — the country's largest call-up in 14 years. Although conscripts are technically barred from front-line combat, rights groups and relatives have reported that many are pressured into signing contracts that result in deployment to Ukraine. In the summer of 2024, Russian lawmakers passed legislation allowing authorities to revoke the citizenship of naturalized individuals who fail to register for military service. Read also: As Russia's fiber optic drones flood the battlefield, Ukraine is racing to catch up We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
