RUSSIANS who have criticised the Ukraine war are at risk of losing their homes under new legislation currently being considered by the government.
The draft bill would give Russia the power to seize the properties of those who have been convicted of defaming its armed forces or calling publicly for actions that undermine state security.
Some have likened the new legislation to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin‘s witch-hunts for “enemies of the state” during the 1930s.
The bill may affect thousands of Russians who have been vocal in their criticism of Moscow invading Ukraine, including those who have left the country but continue to rely on revenue from renting out their properties in Russia.
Many Russian public figures, such as musicians, who have condemned the invasion of Ukraine moved overseas as they feared prosecution.
A close ally of President Vladimir Putin and the head of Russia’s parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, has dubbed the new bill “the scoundrel law“.
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He said at the weekend: “Everyone who tries to destroy Russia, betrays it, must be punished accordingly and repay the damage to the country in the form of their property.”
If passed, the legislation will be the latest in a long list of harsh measures imposed to try and stifle dissidents inside Russia as the war in Ukraine rages on.
Hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers are said to have died and tens of thousands more have been injured since Putin, 71, launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The new bill aims to toughen existing penalties for criticising the Russian armed forces and the war in Ukraine which were signed off by Putin nearly two years ago.
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Those convicted of such crimes currently face up to 15 years in prison.
Russia has so far opened more than 350 cases of alleged “discreditation” of the army or spreading “false” information.
A record number of treason cases since the fall of the Soviet Union were last year opened by state authorities as the president increased the maximum punishment to life behind bars.
Consideration of the draft bill comes less than two months before Russia holds its presidential election, which Putin is expected to win.
Experts say the result is predetermined; the Kremlin has jailed the most prominent opposition figures and banned others from running against Putin who is seeking his fifth term.
Meanwhile, Russia is continuing to struggle in Ukraine, recently losing many of its troops in the “Meat Grinder” battle for Bakhmut.
Aerial footage showed the dramatic moment a Ukrainian drone blew up a $3.5million (£2.8million) Russian T-72 tank.
The video was released from the 92nd Separate Brigade on Sunday, along with a statement which read: “Bakhmut: RUBpAK ‘ACHILLES’ destroyed an enemy tank and infantry.
“Calculation of Achilles – the shock BpAK company of the 92nd OSHBR named after the Kosh chieftain Ivan Sirko worked as a night bomber against the T-72B3 tank and enemy infantry groups.
“The cost of the destroyed T-72B3 tank is USD 3.5 million.”
And one of Putin’s multimillion-pound T-80BVM tanks was destroyed by a cheap Ukrainian UAV in Avdiivka in a further humiliation for the Russian ruler.
Mere days prior, one of Ukraine’s US Bradley armoured truck blitzed one of Putin’s most advanced tanks.
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Another US Bradley achieved similar success, taking out three Russian BMP-2s at the Ukrainian frontline to save a troop of brave soldiers.
Moscow has lost more than 6,000 tanks and 11,254 armoured combat vehicles since the start of the war, according to Kyiv’s estimates.
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