Moscow buses were posting announcements in Uzbek, Kyrgyz and Tajik languages with a call to enlist in the Russian Armed Forces in exchange for obtaining Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure.
On December 9, a photograph surfaced on social networks showing the interior of a Moscow bus, on the displays of which an announcement was broadcast in Uzbek with a call to join the Russian army.
“If you join military service of the Russian Armed Forces under a contract, you will be able to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner in line with the decree of the President of the Russian Federation,” the message said.
State Unitary Enterprise Mosgortrans, a body responsible for buses and electric buses in Moscow, confirmed to TASS and RBC that the ads were indeed shown, but had now been removed.
The enterprise reported that the announcements were placed at the request of the management of the Sakharovo migration center in buses of MTs1, MTs2 and MTs3 routes for a period of two months. “Currently, the messages have been taken off the air,” the press service said.
In September, Vladimir Putin approved amendments to the law on citizenship of the Russian Federation, simplifying the acquisition of citizenship by foreigners who signed a contract for military service in the Russian army. Foreign contract servicemen were allowed to apply for citizenship without providing a residence permit.
The Prosecutor General's Office of Uzbekistan called on countrymen abroad not to join the armed forces and not to participate in hostilities, and also warned of criminal liability for this.
