The Government of the Russian Federation established a working group under its Military-Industrial Commission. The group is tasked with taking control of businesses when they fail to effectively deliver state orders. It should be noted that this applies to any state order, not just to state defense orders.
The Ministry of Defense prepared a draft presidential decree on survivor benefits for families of the killed mercenaries ("volunteer fighters"). This benefit will amount to 3.1 million rubles, which is inferior to the payout of five million rubles promised to families of fallen contract soldiers or mobilized troops.
The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has developed a draft resolution "On the practice of court hearings of criminal cases pertaining to offenses against military service" based on the judicial practice of 2010-2022. In the draft resolution, the court clarified the specifics of qualified criminal offenses against military service. At present, the draft has not been published; excerpts from the draft were presented by TASS [Russian news agency] and RAPSI [Russian Agency of Legal and Judicial Information]. It is expected that the final document will be amended.
The Russian Ministry of Defense plans to launch a pilot project aimed at dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder syndrome among servicemen fighting in Ukraine. Upon achieving positive results, the program can be extended to all officers participating in the armed conflict. It is offered that servicemen with PTSD are temporarily transferred to the rear zone in the Rostov region.
In Buryatia [Russia’s constituent republic], widows and wives of war veterans with children of preschool age will be entitled to a reduction of the workday by one hour. The draft decree of the head of the republic points out that the benefit will be applicable even to ex-wives. The reduction of the working day will not result in a reduction of the salary. The explanatory note to the document states that the decision is being made "in order to strengthen the family as a social institution."
Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill criminalizing the "discrediting" of mercenaries as well as spreading "fake" news about them.
The issue of draft notices for military service register check-ups has begun in Mari El [Russia’s constituent republic]. Authorities of the republic have officially announced it, adding that "this is happening on a scheduled basis" before the reservist training. The training in the republic will be held from Mar. 17 to Apr. 26. As we reported in yesterday’s summary, the Mari El authorities referred to the presidential decree regarding military training this year. Allegedly, the operational headquarters of the republic has made a military training plan based on the decree, and in accordance with it, the draft offices are sending draft notices.
During his trip to St. Petersburg, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev held a meeting on enlistment to military service by contract and visited the military commissariat [enlistment office] of the Leningrad region.
The State Duma [lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia] adopted in the first reading a bill on the right of commanders of military units to impose disciplinary arrest on warrant officers, sergeants, and soldiers without a court decision during mobilization and martial law. The same right will be reserved for the chief of the military police. The rule will also be applicable in wartime. The disciplinary arrest will be imposed for 10 days "for one or more gross disciplinary offenses." Punishable offenses include unauthorized abandonment of a military unit, evasion of military service, destruction of military property or damaging it by negligence, and performance of military service in a state of intoxication.
The State Duma [lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia] adopted a bill on the prosecution of those “discrediting” volunteer fighters in the third and final reading. Penalties for “discrediting” participants in the war will involve fines up to 5 million rubles, up to 5 years of correctional or forced labor as well as imprisonment for up to 15 years (for “fakes'') and up to 7 years (for “discrediting” fighters). Criminal punishment will be applied if the offender has already been brought to administrative responsibility for similar actions during the year.