Serbian government have issued passports to dozens of Russians with Kremlin ties because the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the investigative information outlet IStories reported Wednesday, bringing up govt knowledge.
A complete of 204 Russians had been naturalized as Serbian voters between early 2022 and April 2025, together with many with hyperlinks to Russia’s protection trade and intelligence products and services, the opening stated.
Amongst the ones granted citizenship are 11 present and previous executives of sanctioned Russian protection companies and their members of the family, together with spouses and daughters. Those companies come with Radio-Digital Applied sciences Fear (KRET), Elekon, the Kazan Optical and Mechanical Plant, in addition to Almaz-Antey.
One recipient, Viktor Shendrik, reportedly served within the FSB’s elite Vympel unit and acted as a best bodyguard for President Vladimir Putin and his billionaire mates Arkady and Boris Rotenberg. Others had been related to Chechen chief Ramzan Kadyrov, or to Umar Kremlev, president of the Global Boxing Affiliation, and his affiliate, Presidential Safety Provider leader Alexei Rubezhnoy.
9 passport recipients had been known as present or former executives at sanctioned banks, together with VTB, Gazprombank and Dom RF.
Not one of the newly naturalized voters seem on Western sanctions lists and will commute visa-free around the EU, consistent with IStories. Holders of Serbian passports have get right of entry to to 29 international locations throughout the Schengen House, which permits for passport-free commute throughout maximum of Europe.
IStories additionally reported that greater than 30 Russians who won Serbian passports in 2024 had been tied to Russian state establishments or primary companies.
Ilya Shumanov, former head of Transparency Global Russia, instructed the mass passport issuance may well be a part of a covert Moscow-Belgrade association through which Russia supplies monetary improve to Serbian government.
