Speaker: Russians abroad during Ukraine war "cannot be trusted" in public sector

State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said Russians who left after the start of the special military operation should be barred from working in government or state-owned companies.

Volodin stated that individuals who left Russia at such a critical moment should not hold positions in public authorities or in organisations with state participation, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

He added that private companies should also carefully consider hiring such employees, taking into account public sentiment and the sacrifices of those serving the country.

“Even if a person possesses a high level of professional competence, their decision to leave the country during a difficult period may indicate unreliability,” Volodin wrote.

He also commented on figures from the entertainment industry who have left Russia, suggesting that some may attempt to return in the future, but warned that they should not expect a “warm welcome.”

The remarks follow a pattern of strong rhetoric from Russian officials regarding citizens who have relocated abroad.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has previously described such individuals as “monstrously and definitively detached” from Russia, while lawmaker Vladimir Vodolatsky called those attempting to change their stance on the country “traitors.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev