Russian authorities have begun issuing military draft summonses to arriving citizens—particularly naturalized ones—at major airports across the country, prompting concerns about ethnic profiling and legal ambiguity.
On November 19, the Russian Interior Ministry announced the opening of twelve new migration control points at airports in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Sochi, Kazan, Novosibirsk, and other key cities.
Just a day later, Russian state-run Vesti Ural aired a report from Yekaterinburg’s Koltsovo Airport, showing Russian citizens—not foreigners—being intercepted upon arrival and handed draft notices.
“The moment this man landed in the Urals, he was told he couldn’t simply fly back out,” the report explained.
According to the report, those who haven’t yet formalized their military status are being served notices on the spot.
They also denied that receiving a draft notice restricts a citizen’s right to leave the country.
He added that while native-born Russians can usually ignore draft notices without serious consequences, naturalized citizens face greater risks, including potential passport issues or complications with their legal status. »