- Putin has signed a decree that Russia will welcome foreigners who want to escape Western liberal ideals.
- Applicants may include those from countries unaligned with “Russian spiritual and moral values.”
- The application process has been simplified, and visas will be issued as soon as next month.
In other words…“We’re running out of cannon fodder”
I’m guessing it’s more of a propaganda thing. I’d be shocked if he’s hoping to net enough people for significant extra “мясо пушки”, given that this sounds like it only applies to Western countries.
Agreed, but I think it’s more than that
I don’t think he’s offering them plane tickets. That means they have enough wealth to move there - it would instantly be a shot in the arm for the Russian economy. They’d get a captive market, and he’s not even inviting them to be Russian
That selector also means they’re more likely to have useful skills, and the messaging is targeting people very susceptible to Russia style propaganda - he could censor their connection to the outside world, and they’d thank him for it
Also, if NATO arms hit American civilians, that would be a powerful message to reduce international support for Ukraine or NATO.
They’re too valuable. They’d pay off for him immediately, and long term he’d have an isolated community that is just begging to chug the Kool aid