The Federation Council [upper house of Russia’s Federal Assembly] approved a bill that raises fines to as much as 20,000 rubles [$250] for failing to notify military authorities of a change of residence. The current penalty ranges from 1,000 rubles [$13] to 5,000 rubles [$64].
Russia’s government has extended its Concept for the Preparation of Citizens for Military Service until 2030 by an additional six years. Originally published in 2010, the document aims to promote readiness for military service among young people. The updated directive aims to decrease the number of individuals deemed "unfit for military service" based on medical and physical assessments to 17.5 percent by 2030 and down to 16 percent by 2036. Conversely, it aims to increase the share of potential recruits found fit for service by draft boards to 17.5 percent by 2030 and to 19 percent by 2036.
During a roundtable at the State Duma [lower house of Russia’s Federal Assembly], lawmakers proposed establishing the position of a commissioner for the protection of military personnel's rights. They reported receiving 27,000 appeals related to service members' rights, which they argue indicates "a need for systemic transformations to more effectively eliminate and prevent violations of the social rights of military personnel." Several previous attempts to introduce a similar institution failed.
Vladimir Putin signed a decree amending the Disciplinary Charter and the Charter of the Military Police, authorizing commanders to detain service members for up to 30 days without a court order during a period of martial law. First mentioned in March, the measure applies to personnel suspected of committing a grave or especially grave crime. Lawmakers laid the groundwork for these amendments in 2024 when they first introduced the right to detain individuals for 30 days without a judicial decision into the Criminal Procedure Code.
The State Duma [lower house of Russia’s Federal Assembly] passed a bill in its third reading that significantly increases fines for failing to report a change of residence without registration for more than three months. Under current law, men must inform military authorities of such a change within two weeks through the Gosuslugi public services portal, by letter, or in person at a draft office. Failing to do so can result in a fine from 1,000 to 5,000 rubles [$13 to $65]. The new bill would bring this penalty in line with fines issued to conscripts who fail to report a trip abroad during a conscription campaign, which range from 10,000 to 20,000 rubles [$130 to $250].
Conscripts may keep their employment contracts under a new bill introduced in the State Duma [lower house of Russia’s Federal Assembly]. Currently, part one, section one of Labor Code Article 83 mandates the termination of an employment contract when an individual is called up, with an exception for mobilization. The lawmakers who authored the bill propose replacing this provision with a requirement that all employers grant an unpaid leave of absence for the entire duration of the employee’s military service.
Akhmed Omargadzhiev, the military commissar of Russia's constituent Republic of Dagestan, has asserted that conscription in the region is proceeding "as normal and in accordance with Russian legislation," adding that "reports of roundups, disseminated by foreign agents, do not correspond to reality." Previously, the Idite Lesom! [Flee through the woods/Get lost you all] Telegram channel had repeatedly reported large-scale raids targeting men in Makhachkala and other cities within the region.
A new bill seeks to strip naturalized citizens of their Russian passports for any failure to comply with military registration laws, not just with the initial registration requirements. According to bill author Andrey Kartapolov, Chairman of the State Duma [lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia] Defense Committee, anyone who fails to inform the draft office of changes in marital status, education, employment or residence, or leaves the country for more than six months without notification, should lose their acquired citizenship. The bill would even extend this penalty to the minor children of these individuals. The Government Legislative Commission has already endorsed the bill, albeit with several reservations.
Based on open sources, Mediazona [independent Russian media outlet] and BBC News Russian, together with volunteers, have verified the names of 113,436 Russian fighters killed in Ukraine, including 12,469 mobilized soldiers. Over the past week, the list has grown by 2,049 soldiers, 133 of whom were mobilized. As journalists have noted, more than half of the deceased had signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense after the outset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s Central Election Commission has postponed 43 municipal elections across eight districts in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine, declaring the elections will be held "when a brighter time comes." The decision effects election campaigns in the Belovsky, Bolshesoldatsky, Glushkovsky, Korenevsky, Lgovsky, Rylsky, Sudzhansky, and Khomutovsky districts.