MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed amendments toughening penalties for voluntary surrender, desertion and refusal to fight to up to 10 years in prison, just days after the partial mobilization order was issued.
The announcement on Wednesday of the mobilization of 300,000 reservists sparked protests across Russia and a new exodus from the country.
A day earlier, the Russian parliament passed amendments that would toughen penalties for military crimes during mobilization.
Now that the law is signed, soldiers who desert, surrender “without permission”, refuse to fight or disobey orders can face up to 10 years in prison.
Looting is punishable by 15 years in prison.
The changes come as the Kremlin seeks to bolster the ranks of its army fighting a military operation in Ukraine.
A separate law, also signed on Saturday, facilitates access to Russian citizenship for foreigners who enlist in the Russian army.
Foreigners who have served at least a year in the Russian military can apply for citizenship, bypassing the normal five-year residency requirement in the country.
This measure appears to be aimed primarily at Central Asian migrants from former Soviet republics, who are usually hired for arduous, low-paying jobs.
On Tuesday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the opening of a recruitment center at the Zakharovo Migration Center, a key transit point for migrants.
Even before the law came into force, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan had warned their citizens not to take part in armed conflicts.
- Editor/ additional report by AFP
