Kremlin: authorities should do everything to make those who left the country want to return

Russians who left the country, but did not speak hostilely about it, are citizens of the Russian Federation, for whom the country’s authorities must fight. This statement was made by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov in a video published Life edition.

Commenting on the proposal of State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin to seize property from citizens who left the Russian Federation, Peskov urged “not to open any Pandora’s boxes.” He noted that this is a complex issue from a legal point of view.

At the same time, the Kremlin spokesman stressed that “enemies are enemies, they must be fought.” Peskov added that the Russian authorities “should do everything” to make the rest of the Russians who left want to return.

“They are all our citizens, all equally, and all could have different reasons for leaving. But those who have not slipped onto the path of a truly hostile attitude towards our country are our citizens, for whom we need to fight, ”Peskov said.

Earlier today Volodin offered confiscate property from Russians who have left the country and speak negatively about it, its inhabitants and the military. He noted that the existing sanctions for such actions are not enough, and said that the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation should be supplemented with an article on confiscation of property for extremism, the rehabilitation of Nazism and discrediting the Russian army.

Andrey Klishas, ​​Head of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building considered possible implementation of this initiative. According to him, for this it is necessary to make appropriate amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

In December 2022, Klishas also allowedthat the authorities can develop measures that “make being abroad less comfortable” for the departed Russians from the beginning of partial mobilization. However, at that time there was no talk of confiscation of property. Klishas said that amendments could be made that would limit the work of citizens who are abroad for Russian companies.