MOSCOW. Dec 25 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a package of bills into law empowering the Russian National Guard to create volunteer formations analogous to such formations of the Russian Defense Ministry.
The corresponding documents were published on the official website of legal information on Monday.
The package of laws envisages the creation of volunteer units by the Russian National Guard at the Russian president's order. Russian citizens can join volunteer units established by the Russian National Guard on a contractual basis.
Remuneration of volunteers and its size will be set by the Russian National Guard but will not be smaller than the remuneration for contract servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces with a similar rank. The package of laws also envisages the possible payment of bonuses by the Russian National Guard alongside the remuneration of volunteers.
Other laws of the package amend a number of laws to provide the same social guarantees, benefits and compensation to volunteers of the Russian National Guard and the Russian Defense Ministry and their families.
The guarantees are formalized in the Labor and Tax Codes.
The laws do not allow the inclusion of any organizations in volunteer units of the Russian National Guard, as the contracts will be signed exclusively with citizens, Alexander Khinshtein, a State Duma member and one of the co-authors of the package of law, said earlier.
"Our initiatives resulted from the Russian National Guard's active involvement in the special military operation and accomplishment of missions similar to the Defense Ministry's functions. At present, members of the Russian National Guard not only participate in the fighting and enforce martial law in the new regions and the antiterrorist operation, but also assist in protecting the state border, [with] territorial defense and [in] the fight against terrorism. It is quite logical that the Russian National Guard should have the right to establish its own volunteer units," Khinshtein said.
The laws also allow conscripts to serve in the Federal Security Service (FSB), including the FSB Border Forces. Foreign citizens, individuals with a criminal record, drug users or foreign agents are not eligible for such service.
At present, conscripts can serve in FSB units on a contractual basis.
The president also signed into laws the bills on criminal and administrative responsibility for discrediting volunteer units assisting in the Russian National Guard's missions.
The laws criminalize public dissemination of knowingly false information under the guise of reliable reports about volunteer units' assistance in accomplishing the Russian National Guard's missions, discrediting such units, and assisting in the enforcement of resolutions of international organizations in which Russia takes no part, or foreign authorities regarding criminal prosecution of such units' volunteers.
The relevant amendments are to be made to articles 207.3, 280.3 and 284.3 of the Russian Criminal Code.
The maximum fines for such offenses are up to five million rubles and the maximum term of imprisonment is up to 10 years.
The bill amending Article 20.33 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offenses introduces administrative responsibility for the public actions of citizens, officials or legal entities aimed at discrediting volunteer units' assistance in fulfilling the Russian National Guard's missions. The maximum fines under Article 20.33 are 100,000 rubles for citizens, 300,000 rubles for officials, and one million rubles for legal entities