British intelligence: Russia changes laws to secure resources for the war

The draft law on "special economic measures", proposed by the Russian government and approved in the first reading by the State Duma on July 5, will allow the mobilization of capacities and the release of assets from state reserves for the war against Ukraine.

This is what is said in the morning summary of British intelligence.

"This legislation is believed to be an attempt by the Kremlin to introduce economic measures to support a ʼspecial military operationʼ without officially announcing a state mobilization, which remains politically sensitive. It also allows Russia to avoid admitting that it is participating in the war or its inability to defeat the Ukrainian army, which is outnumbered and outgunned by Russian forces," the report said.

On July 1, the Russian government submitted to the State Duma a draft law on "special economic measures" during "counter-terrorist and other operations" outside Russia.

The document proposes to amend the Law "On Defense" and the Labor Code of Russia. According to the draft law, in order to ensure the conduct of "operations of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, military formations and bodies" abroad, the Russian government can adopt "decisions on the introduction of special measures in the economic sphere."

Among the proposed measures are the temporary de-conservation of mobilization capacities and objects, the de-booking of material assets of the state reserve and overtime work in "separate organizations". It is about overworking, working at night, on weekends and holidays, as well as about the provision of annual paid vacations.

The draft law also provides that legal entities, regardless of their organizational and legal form and form of ownership, do not have the right to refuse to conclude contracts within the framework of state procurement or state defense orders, if it is about goods, works or services necessary to ensure the conduct of "operations" abroad.

In the explanation to the draft law, it is said that under the conditions of a "special operation" there is a "short-term increased need for the repair of weapons and military equipment". In view of the sanctions, it is necessary to "temporarily concentrate efforts in certain sectors".

According to the analytical project Oryx, which collects information about military losses based on photo and video materials, Russia lost 4,462 pieces of equipment during the full-scale war.