In its plenary session, the Federation Council approved amendments to the criminal liability framework that broaden the offense of discrediting SVO participants, including volunteers, and increased the maximum penalty from five to seven years in prison. This development was reported by the news agency TASS. The new Penal Code article states that the maximum sanction for crimes committed within a year from the date of administrative responsibility was raised from three to five years, and the disciplinary and criminal consequences were clarified. The measure now contemplates sentences in the range of five to seven years for acts that degrade the reputation or undermine the legitimacy of the SVO and the individuals connected to it. The reform signals a stricter approach toward information or actions perceived as hostile to the ongoing military operation and those who support it, including volunteers and organized groups.
Previously, the liability regime targeted only public actions aimed at discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation abroad. The latest changes extend the scope to encompass all participants in the SVO, including volunteer formations, organizations, and persons who assist the armed forces in carrying out their duties. In practice, this broadens the category of protected actors and expands the circumstances under which penalties may be imposed for discrediting or undermining the operation, regardless of location.
Earlier, Konstantin Zatulin, the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on the Commonwealth of Independent States, Eurasian Integration and Citizens’ Relations, discussed amendments to the law On Citizenship that the State Duma has considered. The proposed revisions include provisions that allow for the deprivation of Russian citizenship obtained through a number of offenses, aligning citizenship status with the evolving legal framework surrounding national service and allegiance. The described measures reflect a broader effort to regulate conduct related to national security and to delineate the consequences for actions deemed harmful to state institutions and military commitments.