Somali Magazine -On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree that lengthens prison terms for people who flee a mandatory call-up for military service.
The decree increased the punishment for avoiding military service during mobilisation from five to ten years.
In accordance with the decree, soldiers could be sentenced to 10 years in prison for voluntarily surrendering to an enemy force, and 15 years in prison for plundering while a war is in progress.
In addition, Putin signed a law allowing foreign soldiers in the Russian army to apply for citizenship without a visa.
Foreigners who have signed a contract with the Russian armed forces for a minimum of one year are subject to this law.
The decrees were approved last week by the Federation Council and the lower house of the Russian parliament.
Russia’s seven-month-old war against Ukraine, which has recently experienced a number of setbacks, saw the mobilisation of an estimated 300,000 men between the ages of 18 and 50 announced on Wednesday.