Russian deputy calls for visa regime for Uzbek migrants who avoid military service

Sergei Mironov, the chairman of the "Just Russia – For Truth" (Spravedlivaya Rossiya – za pravdu, SRZP) party, has criticized Uzbekistan's stance against recruiting its citizens for military service in Russia. Mironov expressed his views on the matter in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

"The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Kazan has urged Uzbeks not to join the Russian army. Why aren't they encouraging them to explore other opportunities? Shouldn't they benefit from those as well? Are they unwilling to defend the country that provides for them? We need to introduce a visa regime. Everything can be resolved with a visa regime! We don’t need such 'citizens' (migrants)," Mironov wrote.

Earlier in 2023, Mironov also criticized Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan for having laws that penalize their citizens for participating in the war in Ukraine.

The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Kazan had previously reiterated its warning to Uzbek citizens against participating in foreign military conflicts. According to Uzbekistan’s citizenship law, any Uzbek citizen who serves in a foreign military may have their citizenship revoked following a decree by the President of Uzbekistan.

The consulate also reminded citizens that under Article 154 of the Uzbek Criminal Code, illegal involvement in armed conflicts or military operations abroad is considered a criminal offense, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.