ON PROCEDURE OF PROVIDING CIVIL AND MILITARY PERSONNEL
FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTIVITY ON MAINTENANCE AND
RESTORATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY BY
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
O. A. Belkov
The Russian Federation, as a peace-loving democratic State and as a Standing Member of the UN
Security Council, recognizes its responsibility in maintaining international peace. The present Law
is confirmation of this. The fact of its adoption, being on the one hand, an official testimony of the
availability of the Russian Federation to participate in peace-making activity and, on the other
hand, defining the procedure and rules of such participation, calls to prevent voluntary decisions
and actions.
The Federal Law states that Russia assigns its military personnel, including military units and subdivisions with the corresponding armaments and military equipment, support and logistics means.
Russia assigns civil persons for activities relating to the maintenance of peace as undertaken by
the UN Council of Security in compliance with the UN Charter, by regional bodies, or, within the
framework of the regional bodies or agreements of the Russian Federation, or, on the basis of
bilateral treaties of the Russian Federation or multilateral international treaties. Nonetheless, it is
specified that the Russian Federation, in each case, independently defines the feasibility of its
participation in such operations. Its peace-making activity may also be realized by rendering
humanitarian aid and material-technical resources.
The Law contains a detailed procedure of decision-making on forwarding individual military
persons, military formations of the Armed Forces and civil personnel outside the limits of the
territory of the Russian Federation for participation in peace-making activity. In compliance with the
principle of separation of powers, it fixes the corresponding powers of the President, Chambers of
the Federal Assembly and Government, as well as the procedure of financing the costs in
preparation and participation in the maintenance or restoration of international peace and security.
There are requirements legalizing the parliamentary control over this activity. Thus, the President
of the Russian Federation informs the Council of Federation and the State Duma on all decisions.
The Government of the Russian Federation submits to the Council of Federation and the State
Duma an annual report on participation of the Russian Federation in the activity of maintenance or
restoration of international peace and security. The spending of additional funds is thus only
feasible upon adoption of the relevant Federal law.
The Law provides for measures on social and legal protection of those persons participating in the
peace-making activity. The military and civil personnel are selected for such work on a voluntary
basis. Military persons are selected from those who perform military service under contract. All
persons involved in the peace-making activity undergo attestation, medical examination and
training. For the purposes of the training and special preparation of military personnel, there is a
special military contingent formed within the structure of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation. The Government has imposed upon it the mission of establishment and provision of
additional guarantees and compensations of those persons involved in the peace-making activity
and this extends to the members of their families.