President Vladimir Putin signed into law several amendments to Russia’s criminal code on Saturday.
These include increasing prison time for those who desert or refuse to show up for service, or those who voluntarily surrender. Prison time has been increased up to 10 years in each instance.
Harsher penalties were also introduced for soldiers who refused to abide by their orders and those who take part in looting.
Another law signed by Putin also opens the way for non-Russians to more easily acquire Russian citizenship if they enlist in the Russian army.
The amendments follow a partial mobilization that has seen hundreds of thousands of men called to join the frontline in Ukraine and has triggered the biggest protests since the beginning of the war.
Source: DW
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