Why is China ‘reminding’ its male citizens in Russia about Moscow’s military service law?

South China Morning Post · Feb 26, 2026 · Collected from RSS

Full Article

A Chinese consulate in Russia has issued a rare reminder to Chinese nationals about a new, little-discussed Russian law requiring foreign men under 65 applying for long-term residency to agree to do at least a year of military service for Moscow.In a notice on its social media account on Sunday, the Chinese consulate in Vladivostok advised Chinese nationals to “take note of” new regulations on the processing of Russian long-term residence permits.It said that under these provisions, foreign nationals might be required to serve at least one year in Russia’s military.Foreign men aged 18 to 65 might be granted a waiver if they provided documentation from Russian authorities confirming prior military service or justifying an exemption on medical grounds, the notice added.Otherwise, they must sign a contract agreeing to serve in a Russian military unit for at least one year, according to the post.The consulate advised Chinese citizens to “make prudent decisions based on their individual circumstances to ensure lawful residency status in Russia”.