Russia has denounced two agreements on pensions for military personnel of the CIS member nations that have been in force since 1992. 

Russian media reports say President Vladimir Putin on March 29, 2023 signed on Russia’s withdrawal from two agreements regulation the pension provision of military personnel of the CIS member nations: the Agreement on the Procedure for the Pension Provision of Military Personnel of the CIS Member Nations; and the Agreement on the Procedure of the Pension Provision for Servicemen of the Border Troops of the CIS Member Nations. 

The parties of the agreements have reportedly been Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.  

The law on denunciation of these agreements was adopted taking into account the transition in the CIS from the state pension system to the formation of pensions based on paid insurance premiums for compulsory pension insurance.

Vladimir Jabarov, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council (Russia’s upper house of parliament) Committee on International Affairs says these agreements were aimed primarily at protecting the pension rights of former Soviet servicemen.  When moving for permanent residence to another state, a military pensioner could receive a pension under the legislation of the CIS member state where he moved.  More than 30 years have passed since the signing of the agreements, pensions began to be issued by people who, due to their age, did not serve in the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union.  But since they served in other CIS countries, they formally fell under the agreement.

“If they move to Russia, we must assign and pay pensions to actually military personnel of foreign states,” Jabarov said.

It is noted that military pensioners who already receive a pension will continue to receive it.  And Russian military pensioners, when moving to another country, will be paid a pension in the amount established by Russian legislation. 

Recall, the State Duma (Russia's lower chamber of parliament) denounced the agreement on pension guarantees for citizens of the CIS countries, which has been in force since March 13, 1992.  According to The Moscow News, the decision was formalized as a federal law and Russia reportedly withdrew from the agreement on January 1, 2023.