for discrediting participants in a special operation faces up to 15 years in prison

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A prison sentence of up to 15 years is provided for discredited participants in a special military operation in Ukraine. Such amendments to the Russian Criminal Code have been submitted to the State Duma, said Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the lower house of parliament.

The politician stressed that any public dissemination of deliberately false information and actions aimed at discrediting the army, volunteer units, organizations and people who help in the fulfillment of the tasks assigned to the RF Armed Forces are unacceptable. Violators of the law face severe penalties.

“Fine up to five million rubles, or up to the salary or other income of the convicted person for a period of up to five years, or correctional or forced labor up to five years, or imprisonment up to fifteen years,” Volodin said.

The second reading of the document in the State Duma is scheduled for March 2, the third – for March 14.

The “regional head” had previously indicated that changes would be made to Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses and Articles 207.3 and 280.3 of the Criminal Code (discrediting the Russian military). The initiative was taken by Vyacheslav Volodin, former founder of Wagner PMC, businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin addressed the State Duma with this proposal.

The Union of Journalists of Russia intends to obtain the abolition of sanctions for spreading false information and discrediting the army, but only after the completion of the special military operation, said Vladimir Solovyov, president of the UJR.