A project on punishment for “discrediting” volunteers was submitted to the State Duma
The State Duma introduced amendments to the criminal and administrative codes on responsibility for the so-called discrediting of participants in the war in Ukraine, including volunteers, organizations and persons who assist in the performance of tasks assigned to the Russian army. State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin reported this on the Telegram channel.
As punishment, fines of up to five million rubles, or forced labor for up to five years, or imprisonment for up to 15 years are proposed.
The second reading of the draft law will take place on Thursday, March 2, and the final reading will take place on March 14, Volodyn added.
The founder and sponsor of PMC Wagner, a businessman close to Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, previously came up with the idea of introducing criminal responsibility for discrediting not only the Russian Armed Forces, but also all participants in a special military operation (as the Russian authorities call the war in Ukraine). He, in particular, proposed to ban any criticism of PMC fighters, as well as the publication of information about their past offenses. The maximum term of punishment, according to Prigozhin, should have been five years.
- The administrative article on the discrediting of the Russian army appeared shortly after its invasion of Ukraine. The laws do not say anything about volunteer formation. Discreditation in Russia is considered, for example, to use the word “war” instead of “special military operation” in relation to the war in Ukraine. The article provides for a fine of up to 50,000 rubles, and for repeated violations, a criminal case with a penalty of up to five years in prison is threatened.
- Private military company “Wagner” is a Russian unofficial military unit that takes part in ground operations in Syria, Africa and in the war with Ukraine. The company’s fighters are accused of committing numerous war crimes, including extrajudicial executions.
- In the summer and autumn of last year, Wagner PMC actively recruited prisoners to participate in the war in Ukraine. They were promised a pardon after six months of fighting. According to numerous reports, among the recruited prisoners at the front there are large losses.