The State Duma has authorized Putin to deploy troops abroad
The Russian State Duma has passed a law that gives Vladimir Putin greater authority to deploy the military abroad. The Kremlin can now officially justify the deployment of troops as “protecting Russian citizens” abroad. The law has already sparked a new wave of concern in the West.
The Russian State Duma approved the law in its second and third readings, significantly expanding the Russian president’s authority to deploy the military abroad. The legislation allows Vladimir Putin to deploy troops for the so-called “protection of Russians” if they are detained, tried, or persecuted outside Russia.
This refers, in particular, to cases where Russian citizens are arrested or investigated by international judicial bodies that Moscow does not recognize. The law also mentions foreign courts that, according to the Kremlin, operate “without the participation of the Russian Federation.” The law was passed unanimously—384 deputies voted in favor. There were no votes against or abstentions.
The explanatory note states that the new rules are necessary to “strengthen the protection of Russian citizens from unlawful actions by unfriendly states.” At the same time, Russian authorities already had the right to deploy the military abroad in cases where decisions by other countries or international bodies allegedly conflicted with the interests of the Russian Federation. In practice, the law further expands the Kremlin’s capabilities for military operations outside Russia. Against this backdrop, Western countries have recently been increasingly warning of the risks of a new escalation by Moscow.
In particular, German intelligence (BND) previously warned of the possibility of Russian provocations in the Baltic states following a scenario similar to the annexation of Crimea. And as early as spring 2026, European intelligence agencies warned of the risk of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.
According to Dutch intelligence, Russia may need about a year to accumulate sufficient resources for a potential regional conflict with NATO countries. “We see a risk of deliberate escalation on the part of the Kremlin,” representatives of European intelligence agencies previously stated, commenting on Russia’s actions and its new military decisions.
Read also: Attacks on oil refineries have costRussia over $7 billion since the start of the year — WP.
As a reminder, the day before, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the Tuapse oil refinery for the fourth time in the last two weeks. A massive fire broke out on the refinery’s grounds following a series of explosions.
As a reminder, drones attacked Tuapse again, causing fires at the oil refinery and in the port.
In Tuapse, refinery capacity has decreased following the latest attack.
