Russia's lower chamber of parliament, the State Duma, has approved a bill that toughens punishments for desertion, damage to military property, looting, defection, and insubordination if they are committed during military mobilization or combat situations as the country continues its ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
The bill was approved on September 20 amid debates among Russian authorities and regional governors about a possible military mobilization, a move that could significantly escalate the war in Ukraine, which is now in its seventh month.
In the article about the crimes, the approved bill replaced the phrase "during armed conflicts or military actions" with "in the period of mobilization or the state of martial law, as well as during war time or while armed conflict and combat activities are under way."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a week ago that Moscow does not plan to announce a full or partial mobilization for the war in Ukraine as Russian troops suffered losses and lost territory in Ukraine's Kharkiv region to a counteroffensive.
Ukrainian armed forces have recaptured several thousands of square kilometers from Russia in a counteroffensive launched since early September.