Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a package of laws that increase penalties for terrorism, sabotage, and treason, reflecting a tightening of national security measures.
Treason under Article 275 of the Criminal Code now carries the possibility of life imprisonment. The article covers espionage, delivering state secrets to foreign powers, seizing control of the enemy, or providing financial, advisory, or any other form of assistance to a state whose actions run counter to the interests of the Russian Federation. The previous framework allowed fines up to half a million rubles and prison terms up to twenty years.
sabotage, terrorism
The penalty for an act of terrorism under Article 205 rose to as much as twenty years in prison, up from fifteen. The minimum term for involvement in an international terrorist act increased from ten to twelve years, while the minimum for being a member of or assisting a terrorist organization rose from seven to twelve years. The sanction for joining a terrorist community now carries sentences from ten to fifteen years, and in some cases the range remains from five to ten years as before for related offenses. These changes tighten the consequences for those connected to terrorist activity and support networks.
Under Article 281, sabotage aimed at damaging transport infrastructure and critical life-support systems to undermine Russia’s economic or defense capabilities previously carried a maximum penalty of twenty years, up from fifteen years in earlier formulations. The updated law raises the ceiling to reflect the heightened perceived threat level.
The State Duma approved these amendments on April 18, 2023. Vasily Piskarev, who chairs the Security and Anti-Corruption Committee, helped prepare the measures. He stated that the amendments are intended to protect the country from threats arising from Ukraine and its Western supporters, a claim tied to recent high-profile terrorist incidents in Russia that had triggered national-security debates.
Military and state defense orders
Since May 12, 2014, the government has awarded war veteran status to Donbass militia members and other volunteers who participated in hostilities in the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. The measure also extends veteran status to individuals who have signed contracts with Armed Forces units that contribute to duty performance during special operations. Additionally, provisions were made to adjust combat-related disability status for those who become incapacitated in missions abroad or during combat situations.
A new law deprives the Russian Armed Forces of citizenship earned through actions that discredit the military or threaten national security, terrorism, drug trafficking, document forgery, or incitement to extremism, among others. It also relaxes certain entry requirements for more than twenty categories of people and introduces a streamlined path to citizenship after completing a military service contract of at least one year.
Another signatory measure requires fingerprinting of volunteers who have contacted the Russian Armed Forces and are on duty, including those stationed outside Russia. Previously, they held military personnel status but were not registered in biometric records. A separate law allows voluntary participation of trained military personnel in peacekeeping efforts, expanding beyond contractor involvement alone.
Additionally, the president granted the Bank of Russia the authority to transfer monetary allowances to personnel, with payments also possible through government-approved credit institutions. It is noted that seventy-seven organizations can enable third-party access to the personal data of military personnel, a detail cited by lawmakers.
The amendments also affected the Administrative Offenses Code, introducing a revised framework for the costs associated with state defense orders. In cases where a contractor’s revenue exceeds one million rubles, penalties were set at three to five million rubles, signaling a tougher enforcement stance on contractual compliance.
Electronic cigarettes and addiction
Putin signed a law prohibiting the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors and tightening sales rules. From June 1, 2023, nicotine-containing devices may only be sold in stores and pavilions, with distance selling banned. Displaying products and placing goods on counters were restricted, and price discounts intended to lower demand for these products are prohibited. The restrictions also apply to nicotine-free devices.
A separate law excludes medical examination and medical testing from the procedures used to diagnose drug addiction, though the criteria for such diagnoses were not specified. The social committee of the Federation Council noted that drug addiction is considered a disease linked to narcotics or psychotropic substances under applicable law.
A further law permits the destruction of illegal liquor without a court order to reduce budgetary storage costs for counterfeit products. A similar mechanism covers sanctioned goods—items prohibited from importation—handled by Rosalkogolregulirovanie for removal from circulation.
officers
Another measure raises the age threshold for certain civil servants. Citizens reaching the age limit may still enter or remain in civil service under fixed-term contracts signed by the president. The general age limit for public service is 65, and those appointed or dismissed by the president are exempt from the usual extension restrictions tied to later years in service. Amendments to the Federal Law On Security grant the president the power to shield the nation from international decisions that conflict with Russian laws or interests, reinforcing executive authority in matters of national sovereignty.