Russian lawmakers have passed a law criminalizing desertion and other acts “during a period of martial law, armed conflict or mobilization,” a move raising concerns Moscow could soon declare open war on Ukraine.
So far, Russia has described its seven-month invasion of Ukraine as a “military special operation” rather than a war. It carried out its attack with contract soldiers and mercenaries without officially deploying the conscript army or mobilizing the general population for the war.
The bill, which passed its third reading in the Duma lower house of parliament on Tuesday, introduces amendments to the Criminal Code that would allow authorities to punish acts such as desertion if committed during an ambiguous “war” or “mobilization” period to be committed. instead of following a clear declaration of war.
Evading conscription and deserting during such a period is now punishable by between five and ten years in prison. Similar penalties are imposed for disobeying a commander’s orders, for looting, and for the willful destruction of military equipment.
Some Russian politicians have said these penal code changes do not amount to mobilization per se.
“The mobilization was not announced,” state news agency Interfax quoted one of the authors of the bill as saying.
Other politicians, however, said the concept of a “mobilization period” had now been introduced into the legal system and could be seen as a signal that a full-scale declaration of war and mass mobilization might be on the horizon.
“The Duma has just considered and adopted in their final form several amendments to the criminal code at breakneck speed,” wrote senior lawyer Ivan Pavlov, who previously defended opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
“Most likely there will be a big announcement soon. . .[and]we will be able to call the war a war,” he continued.
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