State Duma updates laws on mobilization, martial law and wartime

On September 20, the State Duma of Russia approved amendments in the second and third readings (the first reading in the lower house of the Russian parliament took place in July) proposing the introduction of the concepts of “mobilization”, “martial law”, “wartime” and “armed conflict” in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Thus, the parliamentarians continued to update the country's legislation on this topic, in particular, increased responsibility for certain crimes against military service.

After approval by the Federation Council of Russia and signing by the President of the Russian Federation, the law will enter into force on the day of its official publication. In a number of paragraphs of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the words “in conditions of an armed conflict or hostilities” are replaced by the words “during a period of mobilization or martial law, in wartime or in conditions of an armed conflict or combat operations.”



The Criminal Code of the Russian Federation will be replenished with a number of new articles: “Voluntary surrender” (Article 352.1) - for this, it threatens up to 10 years in prison if there are no signs of treason; "Looting" (Article 356.1) - up to 15 years in prison; for non-execution of the state defense order and violation of the terms of the state contract, criminal liability is established (Articles 201.2, 201.3, 285.5, 285.6) - up to 10 years in prison.

The list of aggravating circumstances (Article 63) includes the commission of a crime “during the period of mobilization or martial law, in wartime”. In addition, the punishment for unauthorized abandonment of a military unit during the period of mobilization and martial law is toughened (Article 337 of the Criminal Code): for 2-10 days - up to 5 years in prison, and not up to 1 year; from 10 days to 1 month - up to 7 years in prison, and not up to 3 years; over a month - from 5 to 10 years in prison, and not up to 5 years, as before.

Legislators also turned their attention to refuseniks. Failure to comply with the order of the chief, given in the prescribed manner, during martial law, in wartime or in the conditions of an armed conflict or combat operations, as well as refusal to participate in military or hostilities will be punished by imprisonment for a term of 2 to 3 years (h 2.1 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code).

Desertion during mobilization, in wartime or in conditions of armed conflict will be punished by 15 years in prison. For evading military service by feigning illness - up to 10 years in prison. For violations of the rules for carrying out border and guard service, deliberate damage or destruction of military property - up to 10 years in prison. For the destruction of military property in wartime through negligence - up to 5 years in prison. This information is published on the website of the State Duma of Russia.