The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly criticized a new law passed by the Russian State Duma that permits the deployment of Russian military forces outside the country under the pretext of protecting Russian citizens.
Ministry spokesperson Oleg Tikhiy described the legislation as “aggressive lawlessness,” asserting that it signals the formalization of aggression as a component of Russian state policy. He stated, “By granting itself the unlimited right to deploy Russian occupation forces abroad under the guise of supposedly protecting Russian citizens, Putin effectively admits that aggression has become a norm of Russian state policy.”
Tikhiy drew historical parallels to the rhetoric used by Nazi Germany prior to the occupation of the Sudetenland in 1938, recalling how Adolf Hitler justified aggressive actions by claiming to protect “German compatriots in Czechoslovakia.” He remarked, “It seems that Russian lawmakers have drawn inspiration from those times in crafting their legislative act.”
The Ministry further asserted that the Kremlin does not genuinely care for Russian citizens, as it continues to send them into conflict against Ukraine. Tikhiy emphasized, “In reality, Putin is indifferent to Russian citizens both abroad and at home. Daily, he sacrifices over a thousand of these ‘compatriots’ on the front lines of a criminal war against Ukraine, in which Russia has no chance of achieving any objectives. If the regime in Moscow were concerned about Russian citizens, the best way to protect them would be to end the war against Ukraine.”
Additionally, Tikhiy noted that the current composition of the Russian State Duma has spent years enacting laws that justify aggression, occupation, and repression. He warned, “Avoiding accountability and later attempting to shift the blame onto Putin will not be possible. The actions of the regime’s accomplices are documented and will carry not only moral and historical but also international legal responsibility.”
He added that the new Russian law does not alter Ukraine’s position, which has been defending itself against Russian aggression for over 12 years, but it does reveal the true nature of the regime in Moscow.
The Ministry also reminded that in the coming days, over thirty member states of the Council of Europe and partner countries are expected to endorse an Extended Partial Agreement on the Steering Committee of the Special Tribunal regarding the crime of aggression against Ukraine in Chisinau. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga will participate in the meeting.
Tikhiy concluded, “Unlike the ‘aggressive’ laws churned out by the State Duma, this specific international legal ad-hoc tribunal will possess real legal authority across numerous jurisdictions. We have no doubt that it will ultimately hold criminals accountable. The laws that essentially legalize aggression will only expedite its work and expand the evidentiary base. Accountability is inevitable.”
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has condemned a new Russian law that allows military action abroad, asserting it formalizes aggression as state policy. The Ministry warns that this legislation reflects a disregard for Russian citizens and emphasizes the need for accountability for those involved in the ongoing conflict.