Russia advances law to deploy troops abroad

The State Duma of the Russian Federation has adopted, in its first reading, a draft law that would allow President Vladimir Putin to “legally” deploy troops to other countries under the pretext of “protecting the rights of Russian citizens,” according to The Moscow Times.

Russian laws must pass three readings in total before being adopted, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

The head of the State Duma Defense Committee, Andrei Kartapolov, said the draft law would ensure the protection of the rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests of Russians, as well as Russian organizations, “against unlawful violations abroad.”

The explanatory note to the bill states that it was developed “to protect the rights of Russian citizens in cases of arrest, detention, prosecution, or other forms of persecution.” This includes actions taken by courts in other countries, as well as international judicial bodies that Moscow does not recognize—namely those “whose jurisdiction is not based on an international treaty of the Russian Federation or a resolution of the United Nations Security Council adopted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.”

The draft law was introduced after repeated warnings from NATO and European intelligence services about possible Russian preparations for a conflict with one or more alliance countries.

In the summer of 2025, the head of Germany’s BND warned of potential provocations in the Baltic states, similar to the scenario in Crimea. Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, Fabien Mandon, urged preparations for a possible confrontation with Russia within the next 3–4 years.

According to experts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the “phase zero” of such preparations has already begun in Russia: military districts are being reorganized, bases are being established near the border with Finland, and Europe has seen incidents such as sabotage, GPS jamming, and other provocations.

Kartapolov reiterated that the bill is intended to protect the rights and interests of Russian citizens and organizations “against unlawful violations abroad.”