Russia’s State Duma will not consider bill on criminal liability for people dodging mobilisation

Russia’s State Duma, the lower house of Russian Parliament, will not consider the bill introducing criminal liability for people dodging mobilisation, seeing as “the initiative has lost its relevance”, as per a statement by Chairman of the Defense Committee of the State Duma Andrey Kartapolov and Chairman of the Security Committee of the State Duma Vasily Piskaryov.

“The initiative on introducing liability for dodging military service during the mobilisation period was indeed considered at first after partial mobilisation had been announced. Currently, partial mobilisation is over. This initiative has lost its relevance,” the statement reads.

Earlier today, it was reported that deputies and senators from the United Russia political party drafted a bill on criminalising mobilisation dodging for people who had received draft notices.

The bill stipulated a punishment of either a fine from 200,000 (€3,200) to 500,000 (€8,000) rubles or a person’s income of one-three years, forced labour, or imprisonment of up to five years.

On 28 October, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu briefed Putin on the end of “partial” mobilisation in Russia. According to Shoigu, “the target quota of 300,000 people has been reached; no other mobilisation targets are planned”.

On 31 October, Russia’s General Staff of the Armed Forces sent out instructions to the commanders of military districts and the commander of the North Fleet to report the completion of “partial mobilisation” activities before 1 November. On the same day, Vladimir Putin said that mobilisation was over.

Earlier today, the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had consulted with lawyers in regards to the presidential decree on the end of mobilisation in the country and there is no need for such a document. He also promised that there would not be a new mobilisation wave announced based on the initial presidential decree.