President Vladimir Putin has signed a law withdrawing Russia from two CIS pension agreements aimed at military personnel and military border troops. The official depository of legal information published the corresponding decree and historical context surrounding the move.
The two agreements were originally signed in Tashkent on May 15, 1992. They established rules for granting pensions to retirees who relocated from Russia to another CIS member country for permanent residence, with pension benefits calculated under the laws of the country of residence.
The decision to terminate these contracts comes as CIS nations pursue new pension frameworks that rely on insurance contributions for ongoing pension formation. In the new model, pensions are built from mandatory insurance contributions rather than from the old bilateral arrangements.
Importantly, the presidential decree clarifies that ending the contracts does not erase retirement rights for current military retirees. Those already receiving pensions will continue to receive their existing payments at the same level. For Russian citizens moving to other CIS states, pension payments will continue under the terms that govern the payment of insurance pensions to individuals who leave for permanent residence outside the Russian Federation.
In January, Putin signed another decree detailing additional social guarantees for Russian military personnel, reinforcing the broader safety net accompanying these changes.