Recent decrees and strategy of Russian President Vladimir Putin demonstrate that the issue of granting and revoking Russian citizenship is an important tool for establishing control in the South Caucasus, suppressing dissent and reinforcing the narrative of occupation. 

On May 17, 2025, Vladimir Putin signed a decree that significantly simplifies the process of granting Russian citizenship to residents of Abkhazia. The simplified process allows to obtain Russian citizenship without meeting certain standard requirements of the Federal Law on Citizenship of the Russian Federation, including knowledge of the Russian language and Russian history, and proof of a certain number of years of residence in Russia. 

On July 17, Putin also issued a decree allowing citizens of de facto Abkhazia and South Ossetia to obtain or exchange Russian passports in their own territories of residence. However, this decree does not apply to those who received Russian citizenship under the May 17, 2025 decree.

The Kremlin uses Russian citizenship not only as a tool for integrating the de facto republics into Russia, but also as a punitive measure against political dissent. The Russian Government strips Russian citizenship or bans entry to Russian territory for those who openly oppose or disregard Moscow’s interests. Given the lack of international recognition of Abkhazian and South Ossetian passports, revoking Russian citizenship for residents of the occupied territory would mean restricting international travel and isolating them.

In March 2024, three members of the de facto parliament of South Ossetia - Gari Muldarov, Davit Sanakoev and Dzambolat Medoev, were stripped of their Russian citizenship. The alleged reason for their punishment was their demand for a clear “state border” with Georgia, which Moscow considered an undesirable and uncoordinated manifestation of local political initiative. This action was allegedly initiated by the Russian FSB, which carried a clear message: political initiatives that do not correspond to the Kremlin’s agenda will be followed by personal punishment through various mechanisms.

A similar situation arose in Abkhazia, where in 2025, representatives of the opposition to the de facto government, Kan Kvarchia and Levan Mika, were stripped of their Russian citizenship. They played a significant role in the autumn 2024 protests, which led to the resignation of the de facto leader of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, and the appointment of early presidential elections. At the same time, they actively opposed legislative initiatives that served to advance Russian interests, including the “law on apartments” and the investment agreement. Actions dangerous to “Russian national security” were cited by the Russian security services as the reason for the deprivation of their citizenship.

Such actions reveal the illusory nature of the “sovereignty” of the de facto republics, with which Russia recognizes the so-called independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Kremlin’s deliberate “punishment” tactics serve to suppress independent political opinion, subjugate local political discourse and legislative initiatives in the Caucasus to Russia’s geopolitical goals.

It is important for the international community to respond to this issue in a timely manner, so that Russia’s integration of Georgia’s occupied territories and manipulation of the citizenship issue can be unconditionally condemned in an international format.