The State Duma has approved the law that significantly extends the president’s powers regarding the use of armed forces abroad. According to the new regulations, the Kremlin leader will be able to deploy the army in other states, to protect the citizens of the Russian Federation.
The measures could be applied in the case of arrests, detentions, criminal prosecutions, and other actions targeting Russians, informs The Moscow Times. The law was unanimously adopted by 384 deputies, without any votes against or abstentions.
Russian authorities have decided to extend Putin’s powers to use the military abroad, following a series of warnings from NATO countries, according to which the Kremlin was preparing for war with one or more European countries.
In March 2026, the American secret services warned that Putin could deliberately escalate the conflict in Ukraine, up to a direct confrontation with NATO, including threatening the use of nuclear weapons. Similar warnings have also come from other Western states.