Russia will consider a bill to confiscate property and valuables from anyone convicted of spreading “fake news” about the Russian military, the speaker of the lower house of parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, said on January 20. Moscow plans to respond if the US sends troops to Denmark.
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| Mr. Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma (Lower House of Russia). (Source: TASS) |
Moscow considers criticism of the military illegal. After launching a special operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has arrested thousands of people protesting the conflict.
The bill has the support of all major factions in the parliament , said Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the State Duma. The bill will be introduced in the Russian State Duma on January 22.
“Anyone who tries to destroy Russia and betray it will receive a just punishment and compensate the country with their property,” Volodin wrote on Telegram .
According to him, these measures are aimed at punishing "scoundrels who defame the country, soldiers and officers serving in special military campaigns."
Those accused of spreading “false information” about the military face a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a charge used by the Russian government to suppress all forms of dissent.
By law, information about an attack in Ukraine that does not come from an official government source can be considered “false” and disseminating such information can be prosecuted.
On the same day, Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin told Sputnik that Moscow will decide on defense measures in response to the possible deployment of US troops in Denmark after assessing the threats.
In December 2023, the United States and Denmark signed a bilateral defense cooperation agreement that will allow for the deployment of U.S. troops in Denmark and more frequent joint training between the two militaries.
Ambassador Barbin analyzed: "Within the framework of this agreement, the US armed forces will for the first time have the possibility of a permanent presence on Danish territory, which creates new challenges for the security of our country in the Baltic Sea region.
This is a clear move aimed at further weakening the military and political situation in the region under the guise of deterrence and intimidation of Russia. Hostile actions will certainly be taken into account in our military planning. Necessary military response measures will be determined, based on a comprehensive assessment of the nature of threats in this region."
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