Putin signs into law bill instituting administrative liability for public actions aimed at discrediting Russian Armed Forces

MOSCOW. March 4 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into federal law a bill instituting administrative liability for public actions aimed at discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, the Kremlin website said on Friday.

In particular, the law institutes administrative liability for the commission in the interests of a legal entity of dealings or financial transactions with funds or other property, obtained knowingly for the person conducting these dealings or financial transactions by criminal means, in order to give the semblance of legal possession, use and disposal of these funds or other property.

The law also institutes administrative liability for public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Russian Armed Forces for protecting Russia's interests and citizens, for maintaining international peace and security, including for public calls for obstructing the use of the Russian Armed Forces for said purposes, unless these actions constitute a criminally punishable deed.

"Administrative liability also arises for calls on a foreign state, an association of states, and (or) alliance, and (or) a state (inter-state) institution of a foreign state, or a state association, and (or) an alliance to apply restrictive measures in the form of imposing or extending political or economic sanctions on the Russian Federation, citizens of the Russian Federation, or Russian legal entities, committed by a citizen of the Russian Federation, unless these actions constitute a criminally punishable deed," it said.