The Russian government has drafted a bill aimed at tightening migration policy and amending the Code of Administrative Offenses (CoAO). The document, developed by the Interior Ministry, was reviewed at a meeting of the government commission on legislative activity, Kommersant reports.

According to the initiative, mandatory deportation of foreign citizens is proposed for 20 types of administrative offenses. These include participation in unauthorized protests, involvement in strikes, activities of undesirable organizations, and violations of a state of emergency regime.

In addition, the CoAO is expected to be supplemented with specific offenses предусматривающие deportation exclusively for foreign nationals — in particular, for minor hooliganism involving disobedience to police officers, as well as for abuse of media freedom, including the dissemination of dangerous content.

Currently, deportation under a number of such articles is applied at the court’s discretion; however, the Interior Ministry proposes making it a mandatory form of punishment.

As explained by Vladimir Gruzdev, Chairman of the Board of the Russian Lawyers Association, in certain cases deportation will be imposed as a mandatory additional penalty alongside a fine. At the same time, the bill provides for a ban on imposing multiple additional sanctions for a single offense. It also proposes increasing fines under 14 articles of the CoAO, including for violations of entry rules and illegal employment, to 4,000–7,000 rubles from the current 2,000–5,000 rubles.

The Interior Ministry says the changes are necessary due to a rise in unlawful activities among foreign nationals. The agency notes an increase in conflict situations, including mass brawls. According to the ministry, around 100 such incidents were monitored in 2023–2024, with approximately 1,500 individuals held accountable.

The ministry also emphasizes that migration flows may contribute to growing social tensions and can be exploited by extremist groups for propaganda purposes.

According to the Federal Security Service (FSB), foreign citizens made 15.6 million trips to Russia in 2025, compared to 16.7 million a year earlier. The number of foreigners in the country fell to 5.7 million by the beginning of 2026, down 10% year-on-year.

The tightening of migration legislation in Russia has been ongoing for the second year. In particular, a registry of controlled persons has been introduced for violators, предусматривающий account freezes and possible deportation, and in some regions — mandatory geolocation sharing via mobile applications. In February 2026, the State Duma also passed in the first reading bills requiring mandatory HIV and drug testing for foreign nationals.

Experts note that the Interior Ministry’s initiative aligns with the broader policy of strengthening control in the migration sphere. At the same time, according to Vadim Kozhenov, head of the Migrant Assistance Center, labor migrants are not generally prone to committing such offenses en masse, and those involved in fights are already deported for long periods. In his view, the new measures are more likely to simplify law enforcement work than significantly change existing practices.

Afghanistan is facing a growing risk of a severe food crisis as key trade routes through Pakistan remain closed and supplies from Iran become increasingly uncertain.

The Pakistan border has been shut since October 2025, while the Iranian corridor has become less reliable following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East on February 28, 2026. The situation was highlighted on March 9 by Georgette Gagnon, acting head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), during a UN Security Council meeting, according to Fergana news agency.

She warned that regional tensions are placing additional strain on an “already extremely fragile” Afghan economy.

Escalation with Pakistan

Major border crossings at Torkham and Chaman were closed after deadly clashes and Pakistani airstrikes. Islamabad said the measures were aimed at countering militant groups allegedly operating from Afghan territory.

Despite a fragile truce brokered by Qatar and Turkiye, trade between the two countries has not resumed. Kabul suspended all trade with Pakistan in November 2025.

The situation escalated further in February 2026, when Pakistan carried out airstrikes in several Afghan provinces. Afghan forces responded with military action, prompting Pakistani officials to declare an “open war.”

The economic impact was immediate. Bilateral trade fell by 53% to $594 million, down from $1.26 billion a year earlier. Food prices in Kabul have surged, including staple goods such as flour, rice, and cooking oil.

Disruptions to Iranian supplies

Afghanistan has also been affected by disruptions to trade with Iran, which had been a major supplier of goods.

Following the escalation in the Middle East, Tehran imposed a temporary ban on exports of food and agricultural products to meet domestic demand. The move has significantly impacted Afghanistan, which relies on imports via Iran, including through the port of Chabahar.

Iran’s own economic difficulties — including high inflation, rising food prices, and currency depreciation — have further limited its ability to maintain stable exports.

Although trade through the Islam Qala border crossing was still ongoing in early March, experts warn that disruptions could intensify.

Growing humanitarian risks

According to the United Nations, about 17.4 million people in Afghanistan — more than a third of the population — are expected to face acute food insecurity in spring 2026, including 4.7 million in emergency conditions.

The situation is compounded by rising numbers of returnees. In 2025 alone, around 2.8 million Afghans were deported from Iran and Pakistan.

The World Food Programme has warned of a critical funding shortfall, with its $1.71 billion humanitarian appeal only 10% funded and emergency resources potentially running out by April.

Search for alternatives and risks of instability

Afghanistan has sought to diversify its trade routes, including expanding links with Central Asia and increasing use of the Chabahar port. However, ongoing regional instability raises doubts about the reliability of these alternatives.

Gagnon warned that without urgent action, Afghanistan could once again become a source of regional and global instability, including increased migration, terrorism, and drug trafficking.

She called for de-escalation and the restoration of humanitarian access, while also stressing the need for Afghan authorities to demonstrate credible commitments to counterterrorism.