Serbia grants citizenship to 204 Russians bypassing EU sanctions
Russians associated with the Federal Security Service (FSB) and beneficiaries of the war in Ukraine have received Serbian citizenship by bypassing standard procedures, reported KRIK, a non-governmental organisation focused on crime and corruption investigations, on Thursday.
What do you need to know?
- Who received citizenship? Serbia granted citizenship to 204 Russians.
- Why were procedures bypassed? The Serbian government justified the decision based on national interest.
- What are the consequences? These individuals avoided travel restrictions imposed by the European Union.
What are the reasons for granting citizenship?
Individuals associated with Russian agencies, beneficiaries of the war in Ukraine, and oligarchs whose companies have faced sanctions for over three years have obtained Serbian citizenship. The government argued that "it is in the national interest" of the country. This decision allowed 204 Russians to bypass travel restrictions imposed by the European Union, as detailed by KRIK in a report that also references the Russian independent outlet Important Stories.
"For influential Russians, acquiring Serbian citizenship was not an issue, even though they did not meet the standard criteria. The government in Belgrade granted Russians citizenship without following the usual procedure required for foreigners, citing Serbian national interest as the reason," it was noted.
Who received Serbian citizenship?
Among those granted citizenship was Ivan Sibirow, an arms dealer who expanded operations in the war-torn Ukrainian cities, according to KRIK. Another individual was Viktor Shendrik, a former FSB officer responsible for security at Russian Railways and businesses linked to Putin's associates, the Rotenberg brothers. Shendrik also sponsors neo-Nazi militias fighting against Kyiv forces.
The Serbian passport was additionally granted to Ruslan Alisultanov, a former high-ranking official in Chechnya.
Citizenship outside the procedure
From the start of 2022 to April 2025, 204 Russian citizens were granted citizenship outside the regular procedure. These individuals did not even have to reside in Serbia or renounce other passports, KRIK reported.
