The State Duma of Russia adopted amendments to the Criminal Code, which introduce punishments for conscripts and military personnel, as well as introduce the concepts of "mobilization" and "wartime".
“Radio Svoboda” (“Radio Liberty”) publication and a number of Russian mass media write about it.
The amendments provide for a penalty of up to 10 years in prison for desertion or non-appearance of a contract worker or conscript who did not appear for a month "during the period of mobilization or martial law or hostilities."
Also, the adopted amendments provide from 2 to 3 years in prison for refusing to participate in hostilities, and if it caused "severe consequences" — from 3 to 10 years.
In addition, articles on looting, voluntary surrender and failure to comply with orders are added. Surrender is punishable by 3 to 10 years of imprisonment, if there are no signs of treason. Up to 15 years in prison for looting. Imprisonment for escaping from military units is also proposed.
- The amendments were adopted against the background of appeals by Russian-controlled "councils" of the occupied regions of Ukraine regarding the immediate holding of pseudo-referendums on the annexation of the captured territories to the Russian Federation.
- The Russian Federation declares that in case of illegal annexation of Ukrainian lands, Russia will be able to defend them as its own — that is, the Russian authorities can declare mobilization or even bring nuclear weapons into combat readiness.