Rogozin proposed giving volunteer commanders the powers of an inquiry agency

Senator from the Zaporozhye region Dmitry Rogozin developed a bill to vest commanders of volunteer formations with the powers of an inquiry agency. He explained this by the operational situation, as well as by President Vladimir Putin’s order to equalize the rights of all participants in the military operation.

“The need to empower commanders of volunteer formations with the powers of an inquiry agency is dictated by the requirements of the operational situation, as well as the need to increase law and order and discipline in the troops,” said Mr. Rogozin TASS. The politician noted that there are tens of thousands of volunteers at the front.

Currently, internal affairs bodies, the Federal Bailiff Service, state fire inspection bodies, heads of military police bodies of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, commanders of military units, formations, heads of military institutions and garrisons have such powers. Also, such functions when initiating criminal cases can be performed by captains of sea or river vessels on long voyages, heads of geological exploration parties or wintering grounds, heads of Russian Antarctic stations or seasonal field bases, heads of diplomatic missions and consular offices.

Mr. Rogozin proposes to amend clause 3, part 1, art. 40 of the Criminal Procedure Code and give the powers of the inquiry body to the commanders of volunteer formations “contributing to the implementation of the tasks assigned to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.”

According to the senator, his initiative was supported at a round table on the activities of commanders of military units in implementing the body of inquiry within the framework of a military operation. The event was held in January by the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security. Mr. Rogozin said that he expressed his idea and received no objections from representatives of the military prosecutor’s office, the Investigative Committee, the Ministry of Defense, the FSB or the Russian Guard. According to him, they “perceived this initiative as really something that should be done.”

Leonid Uvarchev