Russian authorities have begun issuing military draft notices to arriving citizens — particularly naturalized ones — at major airports across the country, United24 Media has reported.
The move comes after the country's Interior Ministry announced the opening of 12 new migration control points at airports with the express purpose of identifying foreign nationals violating immigration laws.
However, Unilad reported that there are claims that the control points are actually being used as a means of handing draft notices to new and returning citizens.
Vesti Ural reported from Yekaterinburg's Koltsovo Airport, showing Russian citizens — not foreigners — being intercepted upon arrival and handed draft notices, according to United 24 Media.
Russian men aged 18 to 30 must serve 12 months in the military. Failing to comply can result in fines of up to 30,000 rubles, the equivalent of about $330.
Although pro-government media claimed the situation was misrepresented, with officials not physically stationed "at the aircraft stairway" but rather inside official migration checkpoints, the footage from Vesti contradicted these claims, describing military officials and investigators as "literally meeting arrivals at the plane."
The reports about more men being conscripted come as Russian President Vladimir Putin said he's ready to fight Europe if need be.
"We're not planning to go to war with Europe, I've said that a hundred times," Putin said, according to Sky News.
"But if Europe suddenly wants to fight us and starts, we're ready right now. There can be no doubt about that."
He added that "if Europe suddenly wants to start a war with us and does, then a situation could very quickly arise in which we have no one to negotiate with."
Putin made the comments after blaming Europe for getting involved with a potential Ukraine-Russia peace deal, with European leaders making demands from Moscow that Putin said were "absolutely unacceptable."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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