Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a package of amendments to the penal code relating to military service.
Desertion or failure to appear for military service is punishable by
imprisonment from five to ten years
.
Those who voluntarily surrender to the enemy will face a prison sentence of up to ten years.
In addition,
15 years of imprisonment
are foreseen for desertion during mobilization or martial law, reports Tass.
Putin also signed a law that facilitates
access to Russian nationality for foreign nationals serving in the Russian military
.
The law provides that foreigners enrolled in the Russian military can apply for Russian citizenship without presenting a residence permit, Tass reports.
A procedure which can be accessed by foreigners who have signed a contract with the Russian army for at least a year, it is specified.
ANTI-MOBILIZATION PROTESTS
Over 700 people were arrested today by the Russian authorities in
protests against the mobilization of reservists
decreed this week by President Vladimir Putin.
This was announced by the NGO Odv-Info, according to which "707 people have already been arrested in 32 cities" throughout Russia, including about half in Moscow.
ZELENSKY TO THE RUSSIANS: PUTIN SENDS YOU TO DIE
Vladimir Putin knowingly sends "his citizens to die".
This was reported by Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky
who appealed to the Russians to escape from the "criminal mobilization".
Speaking in Russian in his usual evening message, the Kiev leader said that "Russian commanders do not care about the life" of their people.
"It is better not to accept a summons than to die in a foreign land as a war criminal. It is better to escape the criminal mobilization than to answer in court for participating in an aggressive war," he added.
NEW RUSSIAN LOGISTICS MANAGER
Moscow announced today the replacement of its top logistics manager: Army General Dmitry
Bulgakov has been relieved of his duties
as Deputy Defense Minister and replaced by General Mikhail Mizintsev.
This was stated by the Russian Defense Minister quoted by the state press agency Interfax.
Mizintsev will be "responsible for the material and technical supplies of the armed forces", while Russia is in the midst of the mobilization campaign.
"Bulgakov - explains a statement - has been transferred to a new post".
Ukrainian media commented on the appointment of the new head of logistics for the Russian army underlining that General Mikhail Mizintsev was nicknamed
'the butcher of Mariupol'
for the devastating attacks on the Ukrainian city and the brutal behavior against the civilian population during the 'siege.
Mizintsev has been hit by Western sanctions in recent months.
The general who replaced Dmitry Bulgakov also led the Russian operation in Syria.
LAVROV AT THE UN
"The
Russophobia of the West is unprecedented
".
This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov speaking to the UN General Assembly.
"Instead of dialogue we must face the disinformation and lies of the West that undermine trust in international law and international institutions," Lavrov added.
"
There is a dictatorship in Washington and Europe is subjugated,"
he said.
"Diplomacy is replaced by illegal sanctions. The US and allies do not give anyone freedom, it is not democracy", he attacked.
ANSA agency
Lavrov: "The EU is subjugated by the US dictatorship" - World
The Russian Foreign Minister accuses: "The Russophobia of the West is unprecedented", and "diplomacy is replaced by illegal sanctions" (ANSA)
CHINA: PREVENTING THE CONFLICT WIDEN
"We ask the warring parties in Ukraine to prevent the conflict from spreading".
This was stated by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaking to the UN General Assembly.
China supports the resolution of "hot issues constructively following the principle of non-interference. Concerning the war in Ukraine the urgent priority is peace negotiations and addressing legitimate security concerns of all sides," he added.