Mobilization in Russia for July 29-31, 2025 CIT Volunteer Summary

Authorities and Legislation

The families of foreign nationals killed in the war against Ukraine can now apply for Russian citizenship through a simplified procedure. A decree from Vladimir Putin extends this right to the spouses, children and parents of fighters who served under contract with the Russian Armed Forces. Under existing regulations, this simplified path to citizenship waives the requirement to reside continuously in the Russian Federation for five years after receiving a residency permit.

Additionally, Putin has signed a bill into law offering disabled veterans of the invasion of Ukraine a choice of pensions. They can now pair their disability pension with either a long-service pension, a state benefit for years of service in professions such as the military, or the standard retirement benefit based on an individual's general work history and contributions to the national pension fund.

Putin has also signed a bill into law introducing fines for searching for "extremist" materials online. The law adds Articles 13.52 and 13.53 to the Code of Administrative Offenses. The first article establishes liability for "violating the procedure for using" VPN services, while the second introduces liability for "searching for and accessing knowingly extremist materials," including through a VPN. Article 13.52 specifies fines for individuals ranging from 50,000 to 200,000 rubles [$620-$2,460]; for officials from 80,000 to 300,000 rubles [$990-$3,700]; and for legal entities from 200,000 to one million rubles [$2,460-$12,300]. Under Article 13.53, authorities can fine citizens from 3,000 to 5,000 rubles [$37-$62]. The new rules take effect on Sept. 1, 2025.

A law has also been signed allowing vehicles of law enforcement agencies to travel free of charge on toll roads and toll road sections.

Army Recruitment

In the city of Kaliningrad, the total sign-up bonus for signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense was increased to 2,050,000 rubles [$25,300]. In other areas of the Kaliningrad region this bonus amounts to 1.55 million rubles [$19,100]. At the beginning of July, regional authorities doubled the sign-up bonus—from 500,000 rubles [$6,160] to 1 million rubles [$12,300]; however, this applies only to citizens staying in reserve. Others will continue receiving the previous amount. An additional 400,000 rubles [$4,930] is provided by the federal authorities.

Authorities in the Krasnoyarsk region announced an increase in the contract sign-up bonus for participation in the war to 1.3 million rubles [$16,000]. This will apply only to mobilized men who choose to sign a contract. In all other cases, the previously established amount of 1 million rubles [$12,300], set in June this year, will be paid.

Sentences, Legal Proceedings and Incidents

An 18-year-old resident of the Ivanovo region has accused 29-year-old Nikolay Lozhkin, a serviceman from the 217th Guards Airborne Regiment, of rape. According to the Astra Telegram channel, Lozhkin has not been detained, and no criminal case has been initiated. He has a history of multiple convictions. It is unclear when Lozhkin signed a contract with the MoD, but he managed to commit four crimes within just six months of 2024.

In Russia's constituent Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, the Nalchik Garrison Military Court has sentenced mobilized soldier Askerbi Gubzhokov to six years in a penal colony for illegal drug trafficking. The verdict states that he ordered a batch of drugs online and was detained while attempting to retrieve the stash. The sentence takes into account a previous ruling issued to Gubzhokov in May for leaving his military unit for more than a month.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) reported the detention of two teenagers, aged 17 and 18, in the Krasnodar region. According to investigators, in early 2025, the 18-year-old began corresponding with an "unidentified individual, presumably located in Ukraine," who offered him $700 to carry out a "terrorist attack" in the village of Kavkazskaya. The plan involved setting fire to an administrative building and sending photo and video evidence to the handler. The young man recruited the 17-year-old to assist him, and in May 2025, the two arrived at the target site, where they were detained by FSB officers. The 18-year-old is also accused of setting fire to a railway facility at one of the stations, for which the handler allegedly promised to pay him 100,000 rubles [$1,230]. Both teenagers were placed in a pre-trial detention center and charged with committing a terrorist attack, attempting another terrorist attack and involving a minor in criminal activity.

Siberian transport police have reported the arrest of a 17-year-old college student suspected of attempting to set fire to railway equipment in Krasnoyarsk. The teenager has been charged with attempting a terrorist attack and placed in a pre-trial detention center. According to investigators, on July 28, he tried to set fire to two relay cabinets located in the city’s Oktyabrsky district. He was later detained by officers from the Interior Ministry and the FSB. The student reportedly told authorities that someone had contacted him via Telegram and offered $700 to carry out the arson. The unknown individual sent him the coordinates of the relay cabinets.

In Ulan-Ude, a 17-year-old from Zabaykalsky region [Russia's federal subject] was taken into custody after setting fire to a locomotive. The teenager claimed he had been promised a payment of 100,000 rubles [$1,230] by his "handlers" in exchange for carrying out the arson. Investigators have opened a criminal case under the article on sabotage.

In Ufa, an 18-year-old man has been ordered held in custody on charges of high treason and preparation for sabotage. According to law enforcement, the suspect allegedly conspired with an unidentified individual and was paid to gather intelligence on parked vehicles, facilities tied to the fuel and energy sector and other infrastructure in Ufa, Ryazan and Kazan. Authorities claim he passed this information to Ukrainian contacts to assist with planned sabotage. He later reportedly agreed to set fire to a locomotive for a promised payment of 200,000 rubles [$2,460], but was intercepted by FSB agents before the act could be carried out.

A Saint Petersburg resident who attempted to set fire to a bank office with a Molotov cocktail has been ordered to spend two months in a pre-trial detention center on charges of committing an act of terror. The court heard that the detained man, 27-year-old ambulance paramedic Nikita Nikitin, acted on instructions from phone scammers who persuaded him to take out a loan of 3.5 million rubles [$43,100] and transfer the money to "third parties." Nikitin pleaded guilty.

Dmitry Osyagin, a 37-year-old Kazan resident who opposed the war, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for setting fire to a magistrates' court building. The case was initially investigated as arson but was later reclassified as an act of terror. The magistrates' court premises in Kazan's Privolzhsky district were set ablaze during daylight hours on Feb. 13, 2023. Osyagin was detained shortly after the arson and, by early March 2023, had been added to Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service (Rosfinmonitoring) list of "extremists and terrorists." He was also charged with making online calls for extremism and terrorism. According to investigators, as a member of the "Combat Organization of Anarcho-Communists," he "posted 17 texts inciting violence against representatives of state authorities," as well as "27 texts <...> about the permissibility of carrying out terrorist activities."

Nadezhda Grekova, a 39-year-old resident of Russian-annexed Sevastopol, has been sentenced to 22 years in a penal colony on charges of committing an act of terror, providing terrorist training, possessing explosives and treason. Law enforcement officers claim that Grekova had been in contact with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) since July 2023 and that on Feb. 6, 2024, she planted an explosive device in a Sevastopol residential building. The device, reportedly placed in her own apartment—which was being rented by a military officer and his wife—resulted in an explosion. Grekova was allegedly detained while attempting to leave Russia.

In Irkutsk, 54 years old local resident Maria Torbyakovskaya has been sentenced to 17 years in a penal colony on charges of justifying terrorism and treason. According to law enforcement, she posted several social media messages supporting sabotage on the Baikal-Amur Mainline and allegedly transferred money to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Torbyakovskaya was reportedly detained at the airport "while attempting to flee."

In Saratov, Oksana Ronzhes has been placed in pre-trial detention on charges of treason. As reported by Mediazona [independent Russian media outlet], the woman shares a name with a specialist in Afro-braiding and piercings who previously lived and worked in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Details of the case have not been made public.

The local resident of Novokuznetsk Ivan Nazarov has been sentenced to 14 years for treason and inciting actions against Russia's security. According to investigators, Nazarov organized fundraising in 2023 for a foundation that supported Ukrainian military personnel and "called for activities against Russia's security." The FSB arrested Nazarov in December 2023 initially on charges related to treason and for allegedly transferring money to support the AFU in purchasing military equipment.

A Russian court has sentenced 18-year-old Aleksandr Syrov, a resident of Russian-occupied Mariupol, to seven years in a penal colony on charges of treason and espionage. According to prosecutors, Syrov, a Ukrainian citizen at the time, contacted an officer from Ukraine’s military intelligence agency via a messaging app in September 2023 while living in Mariupol. Acting on instructions from his handlers, Syrov allegedly gathered and transmitted photos, videos and geolocation data of Russian military vehicles and personnel. Authorities say Syrov continued his activities in the fall of 2023 even after acquiring Russian citizenship.

Assistance

The Kursk Regional Duma has introduced fines for employers who refuse to hire veterans of the "special military operation." Under the new law, companies with over 100 employees must reserve at least 1.2 percent of job openings for returning veterans. Noncompliance could result in fines of up to 30,000 rubles [$370] for company officials, up to 50,000 rubles [$620] for individual entrepreneurs and up to 100,000 rubles [$1,230] for businesses. Similar hiring quotas have already been introduced in several other regions, including Karelia [Russia’s constituent republic]and the Moscow, Samara and Vologda regions.