The Russian government has submitted a package of bills to the State Duma that would broaden the grounds for signing a contract with the Defense Ministry. As RBC noted, the documents have already been published in the Duma’s database.
Under the cabinet’s proposal, the right to enter contract service would be extended to convicted people, as well as to those who committed crimes under an additional list of Criminal Code articles. In particular, this includes offenses such as banditry, participation in an organized criminal community, drug smuggling, and organizing illegal migration by a group of persons.
The list also includes crimes related to the illegal acquisition and storage of nuclear and radioactive materials, the theft or extortion of such materials, and various forms of smuggling — cash, strategically important goods and resources, cultural valuables on a large scale, especially valuable wild animals, aquatic biological resources, and plants and fungi listed in the Red Book.
In addition, the amendments cover articles on unlawful entry into a protected facility with the intent to disclose state secrets, violations of requirements for ensuring the anti-terrorist protection of fuel and energy facilities, and the loss of documents containing state secrets.
At present, most convicted people may sign contracts with the Defense Ministry, except for those convicted under the articles listed above, as well as in cases involving terrorism, extremism, treason, espionage, sabotage, hostage-taking, hijacking of an aircraft, train, or vessel, illegal trafficking of weapons and drugs, and sexual crimes against minors.
It is not yet known when exactly the State Duma will consider the government’s proposals. The article notes that the final session of the eighth convocation is scheduled for July 27.