Russian President Vladimir Putin today signed a decree allowing foreign citizens who fought on behalf of Russia in Ukraine to acquire Russian citizenship for themselves and their families.

The decree states that people who have signed contracts during the “special military operation” as Moscow calls the war in Ukraine, can apply to get a Russian passport for themselves, their spouses, children and parents, after submitting the relevant documents proving that they have signed a contract for at least one year.

Those eligible for citizenship are people who had signed contracts with the Russian armed forces or other “military formations,” a category that could apply to groups such as the Wagner mercenary organization.

The measure seems to aims to create incentives for foreigners who have military experience to apply to join the Russian forces.

Moscow has not released figures on the number of foreigners fighting on its side in Ukraine. However, Reuters recently reported on Cubans who signed contracts with the military for pay more than 100 times the average wage in Cuba, and three Africans who were recruited by Wagner, of which two were killed in action.

A declassified US intelligence report estimated that the war in Ukraine has cost Russia 315,000 dead and wounded soldiers, or about 90% of its military strength when the war began, an intelligence source told Reuters last month.

Russia enlisted 300,000 men in September 2022 during the first conscription he carried out after World War II.

There have been strong rumors that the unpopular move will be repeated, perhaps after the next presidential election in March in which Putin is expected to secure another six-year term.

The Kremlin has repeatedly said it does not need another conscription because last year hundreds of thousands of men voluntarily signed contracts to become professional soldiers.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine have disclosed the extent of their losses in the 22-month-old war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last month he proposed conscripting an additional 450,000-500,000 men, and Ukraine’s parliament today began revising the controversial text of a bill that would tighten and expand conscription regulations.