Federal Law N 61-FZ Dated May 31 1996
‘On Defence’
(With amendments dated December 30 1999)
Adopted by the State Duma on April 24 1996
Approved by the Council of Federation on May 15 1996
Summary:
This federal law defines the aims and means of organising the defence of the
Russian Federation. The powers of state authorities, their functions, organization
and officials, rights and obligations, funding, and other aspects all fall under the
umbrella of this law.
The law defines defence, and deals with, among other issues, the details of:
organisation; legal bases; troops concerned; the prohibition of illegal units;
arrangements for defence and mobilisation; and the power of the state authorities in
defence domain. The various components of the armed forces are defined and
their roles specified.
Section I.
Fundamentals and Organization of the Defence (Articles 1–3)
Section II. Powers of the State Authorities of the Russian Federation in the
Domain of Defence (Articles 4–6)
Section III. Functions of the Executive Authorities of the Constituents of the
Russian Federation, Local Governmental Bodies and Organizations, Duties of the
Officials, Rights and Obligations of the Citizens of the Russian Federation in the
Domain of Defence (Articles 7–9)
Section IV. Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, (Articles 10–17) Other
Troops, Army Units and Bodies
Section V. State of War. Martial Law. Mobilization. (Articles 18–22) Civil
Defence. Territorial Defence.
Section VI. Final Provisions (Articles 23–29)
The present Federal Law shall define the fundamentals and organization of
the defence of the Russian Federation, powers of the State authorities of the
Russian Federation, functions of the State authorities of the constituents of the
Russian Federation, organizations and their officials, rights and obligations of the
citizens of the Russian Federation in the domain of defence, forces and funds
called upon for the defence, responsibility for breach of the Legislation of the
Russian Federation in the domain of defence, as well as other norms related to the
defence.
SECTION I. FUNDAMENTALS AND ORGANIZATION OF DEFENSE
Article 1. Fundamentals of the Defence
1.
In the present Federal Law the term “defence” shall imply the system of
political, economic, military, social, legal and other measures on preparation to the
armed protection and the armed protection of the Russian Federation, integrity and
inviolability of its territory.
2.
The defence shall be organized and implemented in compliance with
the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Federal constitutional laws, Federal
laws, the present Federal Law, and laws of the Russian Federation and other legal
acts.
3.
For the purposes of defence there shall be established an army duty of
the citizens of the Russian Federation and the military-transport duty of the Federal
executive authorities, local governmental bodies and organizations regardless of
the form of property, as well as of the transport vehicle owners.
4.
For the purposes of defence there shall be created the Armed Forces
of the Russian Federation.
5.
The troops called upon for the defence shall include the Frontier
Troops of the Russian Federation, Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
of the Russian Federation, Railway Troops of the Russian Federation, Troops of
the Federal Agency of the Governmental Communication and Information attached
to the President of the Russian Federation, Troops of Civil Defence (hereinafter
referred to as other troops).
6.
For accomplishment of individual tasks in the domain of defence there
shall be summoned the engineering-technical and road-construction army units
attached to the Federal executive authorities (hereinafter referred to as army units),
Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, bodies of the Federal
Security Service, bodies of the Frontier Service of the Russian Federation, Federal
bodies of governmental communication and information, Federal bodies of the
State Guard, Federal body for assurance of the mobilization training of the State
authorities of the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as bodies), as well as
the special units created for the period of war.
7.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units
and bodies shall accomplish the tasks in the domain of defence in compliance with
the Plan of Use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
8.
Other troops, army units and bodies shall be summoned to the joint
with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation day-to-day and mobilization
training for the purposes of preparation to the accomplishment of the tasks of
protection of the Russian Federation against an armed attack.
9.
Creation and existence of the units, having a military establishment or
armaments and military equipment or the ones, where it is envisaged to undergo
military service, not stipulated by Federal laws, shall be prohibited and sued under
the law.
10.
Lands, forests, waters and other natural resources, given to the Armed
Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies, shall be in
Federal ownership.
11.
Lands, forests, waters and other natural resources, being in the
ownership of the constituents of the Russian Federation, local governmental
bodies, in private ownership may be withdrawn for the needs of the Armed Forces
of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies only in compliance
with the Legislation of the Russian Federation.
12.
The property of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other
troops, army units and bodies shall be the Federal ownership and shall stay with
them under the rights of economic jurisdiction or day-to-day administration.
Article 2. Arrangement of Defence
Arrangement of the defence shall include:
1)
forecast and assessment of the military danger and military threat;
2)
development of the major lines of the military policy and provisions of
the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation;
3)
legal regulation in the domain of defence;
4)
construction, training and maintenance of the required availability of the
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies, as
well as planning of their use;
5)
development, production and perfection of the management systems of
the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies,
armaments and defence equipment, creation of their reserves, as well as planning
of use of the radio frequency spectrum;
6)
planning of the transfer of the State authorities of the Russian
Federation, authorities of the constituents of the Russian Federation, bodies of
local government and economy of the country to the activities in the conditions of
the period of war;
7)
mobilization training of the State authorities of the Russian Federation,
State authorities of the constituents of the Russian Federation, bodies of local
government and organizations regardless of the forms of property, transport,
communications and population of the country;
8)
creation of the reserves of material values of the State and mobilization
reserves;
9)
planning and implementation of the activities on the civil and territorial
defence;
10)
day-to-day equipping of the territory of the Russian Federation for the
purposes of defence;
11)
assurance of protection of the data constituting the State secret in the
domain of defence;
12)
development of science for the interests of defence;
13)
coordination of the activity of the State authorities of the Russian
Federation, State authorities of the constituents of the Russian Federation and
bodies of local government in the domain of defence
14)
financing of the expenditures on defence, as well as control over
spending of the funds allocated for the defence and the activity of the Armed
Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies,
implemented in compliance with the Legislation of the Russian Federation;
15)
international cooperation for the purposes of the collective security and
joint defence;
16)
other activities in the domain of defence;
Article 3. Legislation of the Russian Federation in the Domain of Defence
1. The Legislation of the Russian Federation in the domain of defence shall
be based on the Constitution of the Russian Federation, international treaties of the
Russian Federation and include the Federal constitutional laws, Federal laws, the
present Federal Law and the laws of the Russian Federation in the domain of
defence.
2. The Laws shall act regardless of their declaration by orders and other
legal acts of the management bodies of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, other troops, army units and bodies.
SECTION II. POWERS OF THE STATE AUTHORITIES OF THE RUSSIAN
FEDERATION IN THE DOMAIN OF DEFENSE
Article 4. Powers of the President of the Russian Federation in the Domain of
Defence
1.
The President of the Russian Federation shall be the Supreme
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
2.
The President of the Russian Federation shall:
1) determine the main lines of the military policy of the Russian Federation;
2) approve the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation;
3) implement administration of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,
other troops, army units and bodies;
4) declare general or partial mobilization, introduce the martial law in the
territory of the Russian Federation or in its individual localities including immediate
notice to the Council of Federation and the State Duma, give an order of the
Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on
prosecution of hostilities in the case of an aggression or immediate threat of an
aggression against the Russian Federation, occurrence of armed conflicts directed
against the Russian Federation;
5) enforce legal acts of the period of war and terminate their effect, form and
cancel executive authorities for the period of war in compliance with the Federal
constitutional order on the martial law;
6) take in compliance with the Federal laws a decision on involvement of the
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies in
accomplishment of the tasks with use of the armaments other than their destination;
7) approve concepts and plans of construction and development of the
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies, Plan
of Use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Mobilization Plan of the
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as well as Plans of transfer (mobilization
plans) of the State authorities of the Russian Federation, State authorities of the
constituents of the Russian Federation, bodies of local government and economy of
the country to the activities in the conditions of the period of war, plans of creation
of stocks of materials and capital equipment of the State and mobilization reserves
and the Federal State Program of the day-to-day equipping of the territory of the
Russian Federation for the purposes of defence;
8) approve the Federal State programs of armaments and development of
the defensive industrial complex;
9) approve the Programs of nuclear and other special tests and sanction
performance of the mentioned tests;
10)
approve the unified list of the army positions, subject to be occupied
with the supreme officers in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other
troops, army units and bodies, and the general quantity of the army positions,
subject to be occupied with colonels (captains of the 1st rank) in the Armed Forces
of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies, instate the supreme
military ranks, designate military personnel for the army positions, envisaged to be
occupied by the supreme officers as per the staff structure, release them from the
army positions and discharge them from the military service under the procedure
envisaged with the Federal Law;
11)
approve the structure, staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, other troops, army units up to the large formation inclusively and the
bodies, as well as the staff quantity of the military personnel of the Armed Forces of
the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies;
12)
take decisions on dislocation and re-dislocation of the Armed Forces of
the Russian Federation, other troops, army units starting from a body of troops and
larger;
13)
approve the general army regulations, provisions on the Combat
Banner of a military unit, Navy flag of the Russian Federation, procedure of
undergoing military service, military councils, military commissariats, and militarytransport duty;
14)
approve provisions on the Ministry of Defence of the Russian
Federation and the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, as well as provisions on the administration bodies of other troops, army
units and bodies;
15)
approve the Provision on the Territorial Defence and the Civil Defence
16)
approve the schemes of location of the facilities with nuclear charges in
Plan;
the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as facilities on liquidation of the
weapons of mass destruction and nuclear wastes;
17)
conduct negotiations and sign the international treaties of the Russian
Federation in the domain of defence, including the treaties on the joint defence,
collective security, reduction and limitation of the armed forces and armaments, on
participation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the operations on
maintenance of peace and international security;
18)
issue orders on the military draft of the citizens of the Russian
Federation, military assemblies (including the quantity of the citizens of the Russian
Federation subject to the military draft and their distribution among the Armed
Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies), as well as
on discharge from the military service of the citizens of the Russian Federation,
undergoing military service by the military draft, under the procedure, envisaged
with the Federal Law;
19)
approve the ultimate quantity of the military personnel of the Armed
Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies for
attachment to the Federal State authorities;
20)
exercise other powers in the domain of defence, imposed on the
President of the Russian Federation with the Constitution of the Russian
Federation, Federal constitutional laws, Federal laws and the laws of the Russian
Federation.
Article 5. Powers of the Federal Assembly in the Domain of Defence
1.
The Council of Federation shall:
1)
examine expenditures on the defence fixed by the Federal laws on
the Federal Budget adopted by the State Duma;
2)
examine the Federal Laws in the domain of defence adopted by the
State Duma;
3)
approve the Decrees of the President of the Russian Federation on
introduction of the martial law and the state of emergency in the territory of the
Russian Federation or in its individual localities, as well as on attraction of the
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies with
use of armaments for accomplishment of the tasks outside their destination;
4)
solve the matter of opportunity to use the Armed Forces of the
Russian Federation outside the territory of the Russian Federation.
2.
The State Duma shall:
1)
consider the expenditures on the defence fixed with the Federal
laws related to the Federal Budget;
2)
adopt Federal laws in the domain of defence;
Article 6. Powers of the Government of the Russian Federation in the Domain of
Defence
The Government of the Russian Federation shall:
1)
execute measures for ensuring the defence and carry within its
terms of reference responsibility for the condition and supplies of the Armed Forces
of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies;
2)
manage the activity on the matters of defence of the Federal
executive authorities within the jurisdiction of the Government;
3)
develop and submit to the State Duma proposals on the
expenditures on the defence in the Federal Budget;
4)
organize equipping of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,
other troops, army units and bodies with armaments and military equipment by their
requests;
5)
organize supplies of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,
other troops, army units and bodies with material means, power and other
resources and services by their requests;
6)
organize development and fulfilment of the National programs of
armament and development of the defence industrial complex;
7) arrange development and fulfilment of the plans of transfer (mobilization
plans) of the Federal executive authorities, executive authorities of the constituents
of the Russian Federation, local governmental bodies, and economy of the country
to the activities in the conditions of the period of war, as well as the plans of
creating stocks of materials and capital equipment of the National and mobilization
reserves;
8) execute administration of mobilization training of the Federal executive
authorities of the Russian Federation, executive authorities of the constituents of
the Russian Federation, bodies of local government and organizations regardless
of the form of property, transport, communications and population of the country;
9) exercise control over preparation of the organizations to fulfilment of the
State Defence Order on products release during the period of war, over creation,
development and maintenance of the mobilization capacities, as well as over
creation of army units attached to the Federal executive authorities and preparation
of the transport vehicles subject to transfer to the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation in compliance with the Legislation of the Russian Federation.
10) fix mobilization tasks to the Federal executive authorities;
11) take decisions on creation, reorganization and liquidation of the National
organizations of the defence industrial complex, scientific-research and pilotengineering organizations and determine the procedure of their reorganization and
liquidation;
12) define the conditions of the financial-economic activity of the
organizations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army
units and bodies;
13)
take decisions on creation, reorganization and liquidation of the military
educational vocational institutions, faculties of military education and military
departments attached to the educational institutions of the higher vocational
education;
14) approve the Provision on military departments attached to the National
educational institutions of the higher vocational education;
15) organize development of the Federal State program on the day-to-day
equipping of the territory of the Russian Federation for the purposes of defence and
carry out measures on realization of this program;
16)
organize development of the plans on location of the facilities with
nuclear charges in the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as facilities on
liquidation of the weapons of mass destruction and nuclear wastes;
17)
define the procedure of fulfilment of the military-transport duty, pre-
service training of the citizens of the Russian Federation to the military service,
military registration, military and alternative civil drafts, performance of the militarymedical expertise and military assemblies by the Federal executive authorities,
executive authorities of the constituents of the Russian Federation, local
governmental bodies and organizations regardless of the form of property, as well
as by the owners of transport vehicles;
18)
approve the Provisions on military registration, military draft, training of
the citizens of the Russian Federation to the military service, performance of
military assemblies and military-medical expertise, as well as the list of the militaryregistration trades;
19)
fix the staff quantity of the civil personnel of the Armed Forces of the
Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies;
20)
define organization, tasks and execute general planning of the civil and
territorial defence;
21)
define the procedure of grant and use of lands, forests, waters and
other natural resources for the needs of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, other troops, army units and bodies;
22)
fix the procedure of transfer, giving for lease, sales and liquidation of
armaments and military equipment, defence facilities and other military property;
23)
Organize control over the export of armaments and military equipment,
strategic materials, technologies and double-purpose products;
24)
Define the procedure of spending the funds allocated for defence out of
the Federal Budget, as well as the sources of financing of the Armed Forces of the
Russian
Federation,
other
troops,
army
units
and
bodies,
involved
in
accomplishment of the tasks, not connected with their destination;
25)
hold international negotiations on the matters of military cooperation
and conclude the corresponding inter-governmental agreements;
26)
fix the procedure of compensating the expenditures, born by
organizations and citizens of the Russian Federation in connection with use of their
equipment for the needs of defence;
27)
exercise other powers in the domain of defence, imposed on it with the
Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Legislation of the Russian Federation
and the Decrees of the President of the Russian Federation.
SECTION III. FUNCTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES OF THE
CONSTITUENTS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL
BODIES AND ORGANIZATIONS, DUTIES OF THE OFFICIALS, RIGHTS AND
OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITIZENS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION IN THE
DOMAIN OF DEFENSE
Article 7. Functions of the Executive Authorities of the Constituents of the Russian
Federation and Local Governmental Bodies in the Domain of Defence
1. The executive authorities of the constituents of the Russian Federation and
the local governmental bodies in interaction with the bodies of military
administration within their terms of reference shall:
1) organize and provide compliance with the Legislation in the domain of
defence;
2) participate in development of the Federal State program on the day-to-day
equipping of the territory of the Russian Federation and provide within the limits of
their territories fulfilment of the measures on its realization and preparation of
communications for the purposes of defence;
3) organize and provide military registration and training of the citizens of the
Russian Federation to military service, their military draft, military assemblies and
mobilization draft;
4) implement reservation of the citizens of the Russian Federation out of the
persons working in the State authorities, local governmental bodies and
organizations for the period of mobilization and during a period of war;
5) provide registration and mobilization training of the transport and other
means for the purposes of defence;
6) organize activities on the military-patriotic education of the citizens of the
Russian Federation;
7) provide the needs of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other
troops, army units and bodies in the material means, power and other resources
and services by their requests under the procedure fixed by the Legislation in the
domain of defence;
8) provide compliance with the Legislation of the Russian Federation on the
social guarantees fixed for the citizens of the Russian Federation in connection with
the military service, their participation in hostilities, as well as the ones for the
members of their families;
9) participate in the development and provide fulfilment of the plans of
transfer (mobilization plans) of the executive authorities, local governmental bodies
and economy of the country to the activities in the conditions of the period of war,
as well as the plans and tasks of accumulation of the stocks of materials and capital
equipment of the National and mobilization reserves in the organizations, assigned
with mobilization tasks for the period of war;
10) participate in planning and provide fulfilment of the activities in the civil
and territorial defence;
11) provide fulfilment of the State Defence Order by organizations within their
territories;
12) coordinate and agree their activity in the domain of defence with the
bodies of military administration;
13) make proposals on improving the arrangement of defence to the State
authorities of the Russian Federation.
2. The local governmental bodies shall be given individual State powers in
the domain of defence in compliance with the Legislation of the Russian
Federation.
Article 8. Functions of the Organizations and Duties of their Officials in the Domain
of Defence
1. Organizations regardless of the form of property in compliance with the
Legislation of the Russian Federation shall:
1) fulfil contractual obligations envisaged by the State contract concluded for
fulfilment of the State Defence Order on creation of the facilities of military
infrastructure, supply with power and other resources, production, deliveries and
repair of armaments and military equipment, other military equipment, as well as
the contractual obligations on contract work and rendering of services for the needs
of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and
bodies;
2) fulfil mobilization tasks on preparation and creation of special units for the
period of war;
3) provide and take part in fulfilment of the activities on the civil and territorial
defence;
4) implement activities envisaged in the plans of transfer (mobilization plans)
to the activities in the conditions of the period of war, plans and tasks of creating
stocks of materials and capital equipment of the National and mobilization reserves
on the basis of the contracts concluded with the Federal executive authorities,
which have been commissioned by the Government of the Russian Federation;
5) execute the military-transport duty under the procedure fixed by the
Government of the Russian Federation;
6) implement the army registration of employees and in compliance with the
Legislation of the Russian Federation present for the needs of defence buildings,
structures, transport vehicles and other property owned by them with subsequent
compensation of the born costs under the procedure fixed by the Government of
the Russian Federation.
2. The officials of the organizations regardless of the form of property shall:
1) comply with their duties in the domain of defence envisaged for them with
the Legislation of the Russian Federation;
2) create for the employees the necessary conditions for their compliance
with the military duty in accordance with the Legislation of the Russian Federation;
3) render assistance in creation of organizations, whose activity is directed at
strengthening of the defence.
Article 9. Rights and Obligations of Citizens of the Russian Federation in the
Domain of Defence
The citizens of the Russian Federation shall:
1) perform the military duty in compliance with the Federal Law;
2) take part in the activities on civil and territorial defence;
3) may create organizations and public associations, promoting strengthening
of defence;
4) provide during the period of war for the needs of defence upon demand of
the Federal executive authorities buildings, structures, transport means and other
property, being in their ownership with subsequent compensation of the born costs
under the procedure fixed by the Government of the Russian Federation.
SECTION IV. ARMED FORCES OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, OTHER
TROOPS, ARMY UNITS AND BODIES
Article 10. Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and their Destination
1. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is the State military
establishment constituting the basis of defence of the Russian Federation.
2. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation shall be destined for
repulsion of an aggression directed against the Russian Federation, armed
protection of the integrity and inviolability of the territory of the Russian Federation,
as well as for accomplishment of the tasks in compliance with the international
treaties of the Russian Federation.
3. Attraction of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to
accomplishment of tasks with use of armaments outside their destination shall be
made by the President of the Russian Federation in compliance with the Federal
laws.
4. Use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for accomplishment of
the tasks in compliance with the international treaties of the Russian Federation
shall be implemented on the conditions and under the procedure, stipulated in
these treaties and fixed by the Legislation of the Russian Federation.
5. The activity of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation shall be
implemented on the basis of the Constitution of the Russian Federation in
compliance with the Federal constitutional laws, Federal laws, the present Federal
Law, Federal law on the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and other laws of
the Russian Federation in the domain of defence, as well as with the corresponding
legal acts of the President of the Russian Federation and the Government of the
Russian Federation.
6. Part of the staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation may be
included in the united armed forces or be under the united commandership in
compliance with the international treaties of the Russian Federation.
Article 11. General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation shall be composed of the
central bodies of military administration, large formations, formations, army units
and organizations which are included in the types and categories of the troops of
the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, in the Rear of the Armed Forces of
the Russian Federation and in the troops which are not included in the types and
categories of the troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Article 12. Manning of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
1. The staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation shall include
military personnel and persons of civil staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation.
2. Manning of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation shall be
implemented in compliance with the Legislation of the Russian Federation:
1) manning by military personnel shall be implemented by military draft of the
citizens of the Russian Federation by an ex-territorial principle and voluntary joining
of citizens of the Russian Federation the military service;
2) manning by civil personnel shall be implemented by voluntary
employment.
3. The staff quantity of the civil personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation shall be fixed by the Government of the Russian Federation, and the list
of the army positions to be occupied with civil personnel—by the Minister of
Defence of the Russian Federation.
4. For mobilization deployment of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation there shall be created a reserve of the military trained human resources.
Article 13. Management and Administration of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation
1. The management of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation shall be
executed by the President of the Russian Federation—the Supreme Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation within his terms of reference shall issue orders and directives of the
Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
mandatory for execution by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other
troops, army units and bodies.
2. Administration of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation shall be
exercised by the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation via the Ministry of
Defence of the Russian Federation and the General Headquarters of the Armed
Forces of the Russian Federation, being the major body of real-time administration
of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
3. The management and administration of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, training of the staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation shall
be implemented in the National language of the Russian Federation.
4. The management and administration of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation during a period of war shall be implemented in compliance with the
Federal law.
Article 14. Main Functions of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation shall:
1) participate in development of proposals on the matters of military policy
and the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation;
2) develop the conception of construction of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, coordinate for the purposes of defence elaboration of the conceptions
of construction and development of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,
other troops, army units and bodies;
3) develop the Federal State Program on armaments and development of
military equipment, as well as proposals on the State Defence Order;
4) elaborate proposals on the expenditures on defence in the draft Federal
Budget, procedure of spending by the Ministry of Defence of the allocated funds
and submit them to the Government of the Russian Federation;
5) coordinate and finance the activities, performed for the purposes of
defence;
6) organize scientific research for the purposes of defence, order and finance
on the contractual basis the scientific research and pilot-design activities in the
domain of defence;
7) order and finance production and procurement of armaments and military
equipment, food stuff, clothing and other property, material and other resources for
the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies
within the limits of the funds allocated for these purposes;
8) finance and provide with educational-material base on a contractual basis
the organizations and public associations, implementing training of citizens by the
military-registration trades;
9) provide mobilization availability of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation;
10) provide social security of the military personnel, civil personnel of the
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, citizens of the Russian Federation,
discharged from the military service and members of their families;
11) represent to the President of the Russian Federation drafts of the general
army regulations, provisions on the Combat Banner of a military unit, Navy Flag of
the Russian Federation, Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, General
Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, procedure of passing
military service, military councils, military commissariats, and military-transport duty;
12) represent to the Government of the Russian Federation draft provisions
on the military departments attached to the State educational institutions of the
higher vocational education and the military-medical expertise of citizens of the
Russian Federation, drafted to the military service;
13)
coordinate the activity of the Federal executive authorities, executive
authorities of the constituents of the Russian Federation on the matters of defence;
14)
coordinate requests on armaments and military equipment for other
troops, army units and bodies for the purposes of unification of the armaments and
military equipment;
15)
cooperate with military departments of foreign States;
16)
exercise other powers, envisaged with the Provision on the Ministry of
Defence of the Russian Federation.
Article 15. Main Functions of the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the
Russian Federation
The General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
shall:
1) develop proposals on the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation.
2) develop the plan of construction of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation and coordinate development of the plans of construction and
development of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army
units and bodies;
3) coordinate development of proposals on the quantity of the Armed Forces
of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies;
4) develop with involvement of the Federal executive authorities, which have
other troops, army units and bodies in the structure or attached to them, the Plan of
Use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Mobilization Plan of the Armed
Forces of the Russian Federation and the Federal State Program of the day-to-day
equipping of the territory of the Russian Federation for the purposes of defence;
5) prepare proposals on the number of citizens of the Russian Federation
subject to the military draft and military assemblies including their distribution
among the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and
bodies;
6) fix quantitative norms of the citizens of the Russian Federation subject to
the military draft, military assemblies and the mobilization draft from the
constituents of the Russian Federation, proceeding from the general quantity of the
citizens of the Russian Federation subject to the draft in compliance with the
Decree of the President of the Russian Federation;
7) organize planning and implementation of the activities on maintenance of
the nuclear security and prevention of non-sanctioned use of nuclear arms;
8) organize and coordinate the actions of forces and use of the means at
accomplishment of the territorial defence tasks;
9) coordinate the real-time and mobilization training of other troops, army
units and bodies and special formations created for the period of war, exercise
control over condition of the mobilization availability of other troops, army units and
bodies and special formations created for the period of war;
10) analyze and coordinate performance in the Russian Federation of the
measures on the military registration, preparation of the citizens of the Russian
Federation to the military service and their draft to the military service and military
assemblies;
11) exercise reconnaissance activity for the purposes of defence and
security;
12) implement the current and forward planning of supplies with the main
types of armaments, military equipment and other material means of the
mobilization deployment of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as well as
accumulation and placement of the reserves of these supporting means in the
period of peace;
13) arrange performance of measures on maintenance of the combat and
mobilization availability of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation;
14) arrange interaction of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation with
other troops, army units and bodies;
15) participate in development of the Civil Defence Plan;
16) determine the procedure of use and plan application of the radiofrequency spectrum for the purposes of defence;
17) develop the draft provisions on the General Headquarters of the Armed
Forces of the Russian Federation, military registration, military draft, preparation of
the citizens of the Russian Federation to the military service, performance of
military assemblies, the military-medical expertise, as well as the list of the militaryregistration trades;
18) arrange mobilization and strategic deployment of the Armed Forces of the
Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies;
19) exercise other powers in the domain of defence in compliance with the
Provision on the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation.
Article 16. Dislocation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
1. Dislocation of large formations, formations, and army units of the Armed
Forces of the Russian Federation shall be implemented in compliance with the
tasks of defence and social-economic conditions of the places of dislocation.
2. Re-dislocation of the army units and sub-units within the limits of the
territories handed for use to the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation shall
be executed by the decision of the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation
and starting from the formation and larger—by the decision of the President of the
Russian Federation.
3. Dislocation of large formations, formations and army units of the Armed
Forces of the Russian Federation outside the territory of the Russian Federation
shall be admitted on the basis of the international treaties of the Russian
Federation.
Article 17. Other Troops, Army Units and Bodies
1. Creation, administration and activity of other troops, army units and bodies
shall be implemented on the basis of Federal laws.
2. Other troops, army units and bodies shall:
1) participate in the development of the Plan of Use of the Armed Forces of
the Russian Federation, Federal State programs of armaments, development of the
defensive industrial complex and real-time equipping of the territory of the Russian
Federation for the purposes of defence;
2) participate jointly with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in
repulsion of an aggression against the Russian Federation in compliance with the
Plan of Use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation;
3) organize training to the joint actions with the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation for the purposes of defence;
4) participate in preparation of the citizens of the Russian Federation to the
military service;
5) provide implementation of the measures on the real-time equipping of the
territory of the Russian Federation and preparation of the communications for the
purposes of defence;
6) exercise interaction with the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of
the Russian Federation on the matters of arranging the defence and submit to it the
information required for arrangement of the defence;
7) be summoned to the joint real-time and mobilization training with the
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation;
8) exercise other powers in the domain of defence in compliance with the
present Federal law.
3. Manning of other troops, army units and bodies shall be implemented by
the principles and under the procedure, which are fixed for the Armed Forces of the
Russian Federation.
SECTION V. STATE OF WAR. MARTIAL LAW. MOBILIZATION.
CIVIL DEFENSE. TERRITORIAL DEFENSE.
Article 18. State of War
1. The state of war shall be declared by the Federal law in the case of an
armed attack on the Russian Federation of another State or group of States, as well
as in the case of necessity to comply with the international treaties of the Russian
Federation.
2. From the moment of declaring the state of war or the actual start of
hostilities there shall start the period of war, expiring from the moment of declaring
termination of hostilities, but not earlier of their actual termination.
Article 19. Martial Law
1. The martial law as a special legal activity regime of the State authorities,
other State bodies, local governmental bodies and organizations, stipulating
restrictions of rights and freedoms, shall be introduced all over the territory of the
Russian Federation or in its individual localities in the case of an aggression or
immediate threat of aggression against the Russian Federation.
2. Within the period of martial law the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, other troops, army units and bodies may prosecute combat actions on
repulsing the aggression regardless of declaring the state of war.
3. The General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
shall be the body of the real-time administration of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, other troops, army units and bodies during introduction of the martial
law.
Article 20. Mobilization
1. Along with declaration of the general or partial mobilization there shall be
implemented measures on transfer of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,
other troops, army units and bodies to the organization and the structure,
envisaged for the period of war, as well as on transfer of the State authorities, local
governmental bodies and organizations to the activities in the conditions of the
period of war.
2. The procedure of mobilization training and performance of the mobilization
shall be defined by the Federal law.
Article 21. Civil Defence
1. The civil defence shall be organized for protection of the population and
organizations against the threats occurring during prosecution of hostilities or as a
consequence of these hostilities.
2. The tasks and organization of the civil defence shall be defined by the
Federal law.
Article 22. Territorial Defence
1. The territorial defence shall be organized for the purposes of protecting the
population, facilities and communications in the territory of the Russian Federation
against the enemy’s actions, diversion or terrorist acts, as well as introduction and
maintenance of the regimes of emergency and martial law.
2. The general tasks and organization of the territorial defence shall be
defined by the President of the Russian Federation.
SECTION VI. FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 24. Limitation of the Activity of Political Parties and Public Associations in
the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Other Troops, Army Units and Bodies
1. The activity of political parties, as well as of other public associations
pursuing political aims, as well as formation of their structures in the Armed Forces
of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies shall not be
admitted.
2. Performance of any political propaganda and campaigns including the
election propaganda in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops,
army units and bodies shall be prohibited.
3. It shall be prohibited to use staff positions and monetary funds of the
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies for
formation of structures and implementation of the activities of political parties, as
well as other public associations, pursuing political goals.
Article 25. Provision of Legality in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,
Other Troops, Army Units and Bodies
1. The supervision over the legality and investigation of the cases on crimes
in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, army units and bodies
shall be implemented by the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation and the
Prosecutors subordinated to the Prosecutor General.
2. Examination of civil and criminal cases in the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, other troops, army units and bodies shall be realized by the Courts in
compliance with the Legislation of the Russian Federation.
Article 26. Financing of Defence
1. Financing of the costs of defence shall be implemented out of the funds of
the Federal Budget by assignment of the funds to the Ministry of Defence of the
Russian Federation and to other Federal executive bodies, providing realization of
the measures in the domain of defence.
2. Control over execution of the Federal Budget in the part of the defence
costs shall be realized in compliance with the Legislation of the Russian Federation.
3. Financing of the expenditures of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation called upon for accomplishment of the tasks not connected with their
destination shall be implemented out of the funds, allocated by the Government of
the Russian Federation under the procedure fixed by the Legislation of the Russian
Federation.
Article 27. Responsibility for Breach of the Legislation of the Russian Federation in
the Domain of Defence.
The officials of the State authorities of the Russian Federation, State
authorities of the constituents of the Russian Federation, local governmental
bodies, organizations regardless of the form of property and the citizens guilty in
non-accomplishment of the defence duties imposed on them or preventing from
accomplishment of defence tasks shall bear responsibility in compliance with the
Legislation of the Russian Federation.
Article 28. Enforcement of the Present Federal Law
1. The present Federal Law shall become effective from the date of its official
publication.
2. The President of the Russian Federation shall be proposed and the
Government of the Russian Federation shall be commissioned with adjustment of
their legal acts in compliance with the present Federal Law.
Article 29. On Recognition of Some Legislative Acts to Have Lost their Validity in
Connection with Adoption of the Present Federal Law
In connection with adoption of the present Federal Law the below shall be
recognized as lost their validity:
1) The Law of the Russian Federation ‘On Defence’ (Bulletins of the
Congress of the Peoples’ Deputies of the Russian Federation and the Supreme
Council of the Russian Federation, 1992, № 42, Article 2331);
2) Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation ‘On
Procedure of Enforcement of the Law of the Russian Federation ‘On Defence’
(Bulletins of the Congress of the Peoples’ Deputies of the Russian Federation and
the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation, 1992, № 42, Article 2332);
President of the Russian Federation
May 31, 1996
№ 61-FZ
B. Yeltsin