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Russian President Vladimir Putin has simplified the process for foreigners to acquire Russian citizenship through service in the country’s military. The decree, signed on Thursday as the war with Ukraine approaches its two-year anniversary, marks a continuation of efforts to attract foreign fighters.

The new decree expedites the citizenship application process, reducing the decision time from three months to just one month. This move builds on earlier measures introduced by Putin in 2022 and 2023, which initially sped up citizenship for those signing year-long contracts and participating in active hostilities for at least six months and later eliminated the requirement for six months of combat. The Kremlin has not commented on the reasons behind these changes.

This comes as a declassified US intelligence report assessed that the war in Ukraine has resulted in Russia experiencing 315,000 dead and injured troops. These figures represent roughly 90% of Russia’s personnel when the initial breakout of the war began in 2022.