Putin has authorized the army to invade other countries to free imprisoned Russians.
Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin has signed a federal law that expands the scope for using the armed forces to protect Russian citizens abroad.
The document has already been published on the Russian Federation’s official legal information portal.
The document stipulates that the Russian military may be deployed to “protect and liberate” Russian citizens who have been arrested in other countries based on decisions by foreign or international judicial bodies.
It is reported that, by presidential decree, the Russian military may now be deployed to carry out missions to protect Russian citizens who have been arrested, detained, or subjected to criminal or other prosecution pursuant to decisions by foreign courts. This refers to courts in which Russia does not participate and whose jurisdiction is not based on an international treaty with the Russian Federation or a UN Security Council resolution.
It should be noted that the State Duma passed the law on May 13, and the Federation Council on May 20. Parliament considered it as a priority. The lower house noted that the purpose of this law is to protect citizens from unlawful actions by unfriendly foreign states. State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin stated that “the Western justice system has finally discredited itself.”
The Kremlin has effectively created a legal basis for conducting special military operations to “evacuate” or rescue its citizens on the territory of sovereign foreign states. The new law grants the Russian military command the right to:
- Deploy special forces outside Russian territory;
- Conduct operations to forcibly return detained persons;
- Use weapons and military equipment to protect the interests of arrested Russians.
The Kremlinannounced strikes on decision-making centers and urged foreigners to leave Kyiv.
On the night of May 24, Russian troops launched a massive combined attack on Kyiv, using ballistic missiles and strike drones. All districts of the capital came under fire.
On the night of May 24, Russian troops launched a massive attack on the Kyiv region, using strike drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. The shelling resulted in casualties and damage across all districts of the region.
On May 23, Russian forces launched a second strike on Balakliya in the Kharkiv region. The attack damaged the “Light of the Gospel” church building, an apartment building, and private residential structures. The shelling sparked a fire that destroyed the church building.
