On February 26, deputies of the State Duma passed a law introducing mandatory genomic registration for several categories of citizens connected to military and law enforcement service.

The bill, approved in its second and third readings, requires the submission of DNA samples from servicemen, volunteers, Rosgvardiya personnel holding special police ranks, employees of internal affairs bodies, as well as certain categories of federal civil servants and members of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and Rosgvardiya.

Under the legislation, collected genetic data will be stored in a state database for life or until the individual reaches the age of 100.

Genomic registration involves the collection of biological material and the inclusion of DNA information in a специализированная information system designed for subsequent identification.

Alexey Zhuravlev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense, was among the authors of the initiative. He stated that the creation of a unified DNA database would make it possible to promptly identify fallen servicemen and spare families prolonged uncertainty, including when processing official documents.

According to Zhuravlev, the measure is expected to significantly reduce the number of missing persons cases and ensure that each погибший serviceman has a burial site where relatives can come to pay their respects. He described the establishment of a comprehensive genomic registry for all Russian servicemen as an important step that should be fully implemented.