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‘Criminals’: Duma Speaker on signers of document recognizing Russia as aggressor

Vyacheslav Volodin also instructed the chairs of lower chamber committees on security and international affairs to look into this issue

MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. Russian citizens who crossed into Georgia and signed a document at the border recognizing Russia as an occupying country committed a crime against their nation and will receive punishment should they return to Russia, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Wednesday.

"Maybe it’s a good thing that those who signed this document left. There is no need to hold on to them. They have betrayed us already. Yet we have to tell them that they committed a crime - against their country and people and if they think of returning, they will be punished under the law," he said at a session of the State Duma.

He also instructed the chairs of lower chamber committees on security and international affairs to look into this issue.

"If this is a fact, we should take a stance and turn to law enforcement so that the signers can expect a warm welcome. <…> If this is a fact, and our citizens are signing this document, it is quite obvious that this is a crime. It is necessary to sort this out because the first provision reads that a signee admits that his country is an aggressor. This already entails criminal responsibility," the Duma speaker added.

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