Tuesday, May 26, 2026 12:00:28 PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law granting the head of state the authority to deploy the Russian military to “protect Russian citizens” if they are “arrested, detained, or face criminal or other prosecution” abroad. The information about amendments to the legislation was published on the official portal for legal documents. The changes have been introduced into the federal laws “On Russian Citizenship” and “On Defense.”

An accompanying note to the law explains that the measure primarily concerns situations in which Russians are arrested overseas by courts “empowered without the participation of the Russian Federation,” as well as by international judicial bodies not recognized by Russia.

The bill was approved by the State Duma on May 13 and by the Federation Council on May 20.

Expert: Measure Likely Targets “Shadow Fleet” Protection

Legal experts interviewed by the Russian news outlet Kommersant believe the legislation is meant to formalize protection for Russian commercial ships that make up the country’s so-called “shadow fleet.”

“Imagine a scenario where foreign coast guards board these ships, detain the vessels and their crews. In this case, our armed forces, apparently, would now be authorized to intervene, if ordered by the president,” explained Ilya Rachkov, a partner at the NSP law bureau.

He added that the law may also apply in cases of universal jurisdiction, which allows states to investigate crimes that were not committed on their territory. However, Rachkov noted it remains unclear how exactly Russia’s Ministry of Defense would “protect” Russian citizens in practice.

(c)UAWIRE 2026