Putin continues the war in Ukraine, Serbia gives more and more citizenship to Russians

From the beginning of the Russian occupation of Ukraine until August 24, the Government of Serbia granted citizenship to 29 citizens of the Russian Federation - which means 70 percent more than in the last 12 months.

Among them are mainly athletes and businessmen.

European Union foreign ministers, on the other hand, have agreed to suspend a visa agreement with Moscow due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24. The decision makes it more difficult for Russian citizens to enter the bloc.

Citizenship in Serbia is granted on the basis of an article of the Law on Citizenship, which allows the Government to issue Serbian passports to persons "whose admission to the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia would represent an interest for the Republic of Serbia".

Based on this, the Government of Serbia, last year, made 53 decisions on granting citizenship - of them, 17 were for Russian citizens.

Radio Free Europe did not reveal any persons on the sanctions list who received Serbian passports after the start of the war in Ukraine.

Alexey Shendrik, the 19-year-old boxer from Moscow, became a citizen of Serbia in April this year.

According to media reports, Shendrik is the winner of the 2020 European Boxing Championship, as well as the multiple champion of Russia.

In a written statement for REL, Shendrik said that the procedure for obtaining Serbian citizenship was quick, as the Boxing Federation of Serbia expressed interest in his arrival.

"It lasted about two months", he said and added that, in the future, he will box for the Serbian national team.

"I registered because Serbia is our brotherly country. I really want to win world titles and medals for your country and now mine. I know I can do it," said Shendrik.

Russian businessman Oleg Cherepanov received his Serbian passport at the beginning of August this year. Since 2008, Cherepanov is the chairman of the board of directors of the company "Forum Group" from the United Arab Emirates. As stated on the website of this company, Cherepanov is responsible for managing the department in Russia and the United Arab Emirates.

Në vitin 2016, ai u zgjodh president i Federatës së Hokejit në Akull, në rajonin Sverdllovsk.

REL e kontaktoi Cherepanovin përmes emailit, për ta pyetur se përse ka kërkuar shtetësi të Serbisë dhe si i ka shkuar procedura për marrjen e pasaportës. Por, deri në publikimin e këtij teksti, nuk mori përgjigje.

Në fund të korrikut, shtetësinë serbe e mori edhe një tjetër biznesmen rus, Arkady Mutavchi, ish-drejtor ekzekutiv i furnitorëve për Departamentin e Menaxhimit të Pronës së Kremlinit.

Në vitin 2020, emri i tij u përmend edhe në kompaninë “Tacticum investments” nga Luksemburgu. Kjo kompani merret me investime direkte dhe investime në letra me vlerë.

REL nuk arriti të bjerë në kontakt me Mutavchin.

In April 2022, the Government of Serbia also granted a passport to Vladimir Burdun, a Russian citizen, who, judging by his posts on social networks, lives in the United Arab Emirates.

According to his Facebook profile, Burdun is the president of the United Arab Emirates Hockey League. The official website of the Emirates Hockey League states that the site is under construction and has no phone number or email.

According to data on Facebook, Burdun is also the owner of the magazine "Art media".

On social networks, this Russian-language magazine was last active in January 2021, while no trace can be found on its official website.

REL contacted Burdun through social networks, but did not receive a response./ REL