Putin Grants Citizenship To 44 Foreign Nationals, Including Former Yugoslav Army Officer Wanted In Bosnia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on January 9 signed a decree granting citizenship to 44 foreign nationals, including Ratko Samac, a former officer of the Yugoslav army who is wanted in Bosnia-Herzegovina for war crimes he allegedly committed in 1993. Samac has resided in Russia since 1999. Russia has refused to extradite him to Sarajevo. The list of other new Russian citizens includes Kremlin-friendly U.S. professional boxer Kevin Johnson; Canadian hockey player Brendan Leipsic, who plays for SKA club in St. Petersburg; and Croatian physician Mirela Jakupanec, who supported the Russian occupation of Ukraine's Donetsk region and resides there. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.