Peskov: a fine of up to 500,000 rubles applies to the discrediting of Wagner PMC
A fine of up to 500,000 rubles. for discrediting volunteer formations, the law on which Russian President Vladimir Putin signed today, also applies to PMC Wagner, said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the head of state of the Russian Federation.
He told the radio station "Moscow speaking" that the non-state armed formation was a volunteer one.
"Undoubtedly. We are talking about all the formations, - said Peskov, answering the relevant question.
Earlier today, Putin signed a law imposing administrative liability with a maximum fine of up to 500,000 rubles for discrediting volunteers who participate in a special operation.
According to the State Duma, the law extends the rules on liability for publicly discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to volunteer formations, organizations or individuals who assist in the performance of the tasks assigned to the Armed Forces.
According to the document, changes are made to 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Code of Administrative Offenses (public actions aimed at discrediting the Armed Forces). The fine for discrediting volunteers is now up to 50,000 rubles for individuals, up to 200,000 rubles for officials, and up to 500,000 rubles for legal entities.
The authors of the amendments were a group of deputies headed by the speaker of the lower house Vyacheslav Volodin. At the end of January, with a request to introduce responsibility for discrediting the participants of the special operation and fakes about them to the Chairman of the State Duma addressed founder of PMC "Wagner" Yevgeny Prigozhin. The entrepreneur said that the whole country “is proud of its defenders, but there are separate media outlets, bloggers and Telegram channels that openly discredit volunteers.”
Putin today also approved amendments to the Criminal Code, which introduce liability for discrediting participants in a special military operation, including volunteers, as well as for fakes about members of the SVO. Amendments are made to Art. 207.3 of the Criminal Code (public dissemination of deliberately false information about the use of the Russian Armed Forces) and art. 280.3 of the Criminal Code (public actions aimed at discrediting the Armed Forces). Now criminal liability comes not only for discrediting the military and fakes about them, but also for similar actions against volunteers.
In addition, the term of punishment is increased. For fakes, it is now provided for up to five years in prison instead of three, the maximum punishment under the article remains the same - up to 15 years in prison. The punishment for discrediting is also increased: under the first part of the article - from three to five years in prison, under the second - from five to seven years.
