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The
bill, passed in its second and third readings on Tuesday by the
lower house of parliament, the Duma, comes amid debate inside
Russia about a possible mobilisation, a step which could
significantly escalate the conflict in Ukraine.
"Until today, the Russian criminal code did not have the
concepts of 'mobilisation' or 'combat operations'," Pavel Chikov,
head of the Agora law firm, which has represented a series of
high-profile legal cases in Russia, told Reuters.
According to a copy of the bill, seen by Reuters, voluntary
surrender would become a crime for Russian military personnel,
punishable by 10 years in prison.
The Kremlin said last week that there was no discussion of a
nationwide mobilisation to bolster the military campaign in
Ukraine, days after a surprise Ukrainian offensive forced Russia
from almost all of Kharkiv region.
But some Russian politicians and some nationalists have called
for a full mobilisation.
Russia describes its actions in Ukraine as a "special military
operation", and critics who call it a war or an invasion have
been prosecuted under laws passed earlier this year against
discrediting the armed forces or spreading false news about
them.
(Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
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