Russian parliament's upper chamber has approved a bill expanding the Kremlin's wartime censorship measures to include punishment for anyone considered to have discredited "volunteer" forces such as so-called private military groups involved in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The bill, already approved by the lower chamber, increases the maximum prison term for those found to have repeatedly discredited forces in Ukraine from three years to five years. The punishment for discrediting actions that lead to death or mass disorder rises from five years to seven years in prison. Authorities have used the law to hand down lengthy jail sentences to long-time Kremlin critics. To read the bill, click here.
Russian Parliament's Upper Chamber Approves Bill Censoring Comments About Armed Forces
Russian recruits board a bus near a military recruitment center in Krasnodar, Russia, on September 25, 2022.