Russia stiffens penalty for voluntary surrender, replaces top logistics general
- Vladimir Putin’s legislation means servicemen who desert, surrender ‘without authorisation’, refuse to fight or disobey orders can face up to 10 years in prison
- A separate law, also signed on Saturday, facilitates Russian citizenship for foreigners who enlist in the Russian army
Russia on Saturday toughened penalties for voluntary surrender and refusal to fight with up to 10 years imprisonment and replaced its top logistics general after a series of setbacks to its seven-month war in Ukraine.
The tough new amendments and personnel change come days after Russia instigated partial mobilisation with Kyiv taking back more territory in a counteroffensive.
It also comes as Kremlin-held regions of eastern and southern Ukraine voted for a second day on becoming part of Russia, dramatically raising the stakes.
Integrating the four regions into Russia would mean that Moscow would consider any military move there as an attack on its own territory.
Russia’s invasion, launched on February 24, and Ukraine’s recent gains have laid bare flaws, with some analysts seeing logistics as the weak link in Moscow’s army.
“Army General Dmitry Bulgakov has been relieved of the post of deputy minister of defence” and will be replaced by Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, aged 60, the defence ministry said.
Russia’s partial mobilisation announced on Wednesday is likely to be one of his first big logistical challenges, with the hundreds of thousands of reservists being called up needing equipment and training before deployment.
