New Russian Bill: Criminal Case for Two Days of Absence

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has proposed to reduce the threshold for criminal liability for unauthorized absence for a serviceman from 10 days to 2 days. This was reported by the "Vedomosti" publication, citing two informed sources. According to their information, the government commission has already approved the relevant legislative changes.

According to the current legislation ("On Military Duty and Military Service" law), a serviceman continues to be considered a member of the military unit's personnel, even if they are actually absent from service for up to 10 days. Only after this period expires can criminal liability be applied to them under Article 337 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (unauthorized abandonment of a military unit or place of service). The explanatory note to the bill submitted by the Ministry of Defense states that such an approach does not promote the maintenance of discipline among servicemen and complicates control over the performance of duties.

The proposed changes are planned to be extended to both conscripts and contract servicemen. In addition, it is planned to establish that the period of unauthorized abandonment of a military unit (UAMU) will not be included in the total term of military service. As noted by the chairman of the Association of Lawyers of Russia, Vladimir Gruzdev, currently that period is "more than 10 days," and the changes are intended to bring this norm into line with Article 337 of the Criminal Code, where "more than 2 days" will be indicated.

Natalya Malinovskaya, an adviser to the president of the Chamber of Lawyers of the Voronezh region, in turn, emphasized that the period of absence from service should not be counted in the total term of service, as this is of fundamental importance for calculating pensions, receiving benefits, or determining the end date of service.