The kremlin Has Found a New Lever for Recruiting Migrants

Amid heavy losses in the war against Ukraine, the kremlin is seeking new ways to replenish its army. While russian propaganda reports “victories”, officials are gaining additional tools to pressure migrants.

This time, the pretext is the fight against syphilis. According to “rospotrebnadzor”, the incidence of this infection in moscow rose by 33.9% last year. The rate in the capital is 3.8 times higher than in other regions of russia. Nationwide, the increase was 63%.

russian experts attribute a significant portion of this spike to mandatory testing of migrants. In moscow, they account for about 80% of diagnosed cases. At the same time, the incidence rate among local residents has also risen – by 30%.

Figures in the regions may be underreported due to inadequate testing. In the first half of this year, the number of confirmed cases rose by 20% in novosibirsk region and by 28.9% in the khanty-mansi autonomous okrug.

For russian military commissars, this is yet another means of exerting pressure on migrants whom they are trying to recruit as contract soldiers. Tighter medical screening means more medical certificates, more checks, and more grounds for denying permits. In case of resistance, this can be compounded by the threat of criminal prosecution under Article 121 of the criminal code of the rf – for transmitting a sexually transmitted disease.

Thus, the fight against syphilis easily turns into yet another administrative tool of the kremlin. A migrant can be forced to undergo additional screenings, made dependent on an official, and then offered a “way out” – a contract with the ministry of defense.

For russians themselves, this campaign is also unlikely to yield better statistics. Given the conditions of superficial oversight, inadequate diagnostics, and a market for paid medical certificates, the official figures may remain significantly better than the actual situation.