The Federation Council at its session on Wednesday approved a law significantly expanding Vladimir Putin’s powers to use the armed forces abroad.
According to the document, which was unanimously supported by the State Duma last week, Vladimir Putin will now be able to deploy the army to “protect Russian citizens” in cases of their “arrest, detention, criminal and other prosecution” abroad, reports The Moscow Times.
The law refers to situations in which Russians are arrested in foreign countries by courts that are “authorized without the participation of the Russian Federation,” as well as by international judicial bodies that Russia does not recognize, according to the explanatory note to the law.
Corresponding amendments are being made to the federal laws “On Citizenship” and “On Defense.” Under the current wording, the president has the right to send troops abroad if countries or international bodies make decisions that “contradict the interests of the Russian Federation” or the “foundations of public order” in Russia.
The conclusion of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security emphasizes that the new version provides for “the possibility of involving the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in carrying out tasks using weapons not for their intended purpose for the protection of Russian citizens” by decision of the president of the Russian Federation. In addition, by decision of the head of state, the necessary measures to protect such citizens must also be taken by Russian state authorities within their respective powers.
Russian authorities decided to expand Putin’s powers regarding the use of the army abroad following a series of warnings from leading NATO states that the Kremlin is preparing for war with one or more European countries.
In the summer, the head of German intelligence, the BND, warned of the risk of Russian provocation in the Baltic states along the lines of Crimea’s annexation, while in February Danish intelligence stated that Russia is capable of starting a large-scale war in Europe within five years.
U.S. intelligence in March 2026 warned that Putin could pursue a “deliberate escalation” of the conflict in Ukraine, up to direct confrontation with NATO, including the threat of nuclear weapons use.
According to Dutch intelligence (MIVD), the Kremlin would need about a year to accumulate sufficient forces for a “regional conflict” with NATO. In MIVD’s assessment, the goal of a possible Russian attack would not be the military defeat of NATO, but a “political split through limited territorial gains.” Intelligence agencies do not rule out that Moscow could resort to nuclear blackmail in order to achieve this result.
