Putin signs a law authorizing the use of military force to defend Russians detained abroad

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law authorizing the use of the Russian army to defend Russian citizens who are arrested or prosecuted pursuant to decisions issued by foreign courts that Moscow does not recognize.

The relevant document was published today, Monday, on the Kremlin’s official website for publishing legal documents, according to the Russia Today channel.

Under the new law, the army can be used, by decision of the Russian President, to carry out tasks related to the protection of Russian citizens who have been arrested, detained, or prosecuted based on decisions issued by foreign courts that were issued without the participation of Russia, or by parties whose jurisdiction is not based on an international treaty concluded by Russia or on a resolution issued by the United Nations Security Council.

The law also includes decisions of international judicial bodies whose jurisdiction is not based on an international treaty with Russia or on a UN Security Council resolution issued under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

The law also requires all Russian state agencies to take the necessary preventive measures to protect Russian citizens abroad, each within its jurisdiction.

The Speaker of the Russian Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, had previously indicated that Western “justice” had become a repressive tool to suppress anyone who opposed the decisions imposed by European officials, stressing that it was necessary, under these circumstances, to do everything necessary to protect Russian citizens abroad.

The law is scheduled to enter into force ten days after the date of its official publication.