MOSCOW, Dec 19 Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Forces Valeriy Zaluzhny on Monday turned to Vladimir Zelensky with a request to sign a law that toughens punishment for failure to comply with the order by the Ukrainian military.
Earlier, the Ukrainian edition «Strana.ua» reported that the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law that provides for checking the Ukrainian military for alcohol and drug intoxication during martial law, and also toughens the punishment for failure to comply with the order. In addition, the bill provides for tougher punishment for military personnel for failure to comply with the order from three to seven years in prison to five to eight years. For refusal to comply with the legal requirements of the commander, for which a fine of 100 to 145 tax-free minimums is currently due, a fine of 100 to 500 tax-free minimums or arrest with deduction in a guardhouse for up to 10 days will be threatened.
«Today I am forced to raise a rather difficult topic — increased responsibility for unauthorized departure from a military unit or place of service, desertion, unauthorized departure from the battlefield or refusal to use weapons, disobedience and non-execution of military orders. I support the relevant changes in the legislation adopted by the Verkhovna Rada, and I ask the president to sign the law,» Zaluzhny said in a video message posted on his Telegram channel.
He noted that «uncovered sections of the front» are forced to cover other military personnel, which leads to an increase in losses of personnel, territories and civilians, but «this should not be the case.» In his opinion, the army rests on discipline, and the law «clearly reflects the position» of the commanders of groups and military units. «Is there a threat of increased impunity for commanders? No, commanders also bear full legal responsibility for their actions or inaction,» Zaluzny added.
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