ON MOBILISATION PREPARATIONS AND MOBILISATION IN THE
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
P. S. Zolotarev
The activity of the State in the field of mobilisation preparation and mobilisation was always treated
as one of the most secret spheres. That is why approval of a law establishing the rights and
responsibilities of the state power bodies, of local self governing bodies, as well as of various
organizations, officials and citizens of the Russian Federation in this field is very important. It is
proof of the movement of Russia to democratic transformation and the building of an open society.
The system of mobilisation preparation in the State was based on the principles of strictly
centralized state administration and of a planned economy on the basis of state proprietary rights
to production means. Transition to the market economy, democratic reforming of structure and
functions of the State’s bodies, as well as new approaches to the military establishment demanded
its modification.
Previously formed industrial mobilisation readiness became a considerable obstacle in its
development. Some enterprises were released from the necessity of preserving mobilisation
facilities, but mobilisation tasks and reserves remained as they were. Marketing of the latter was
often performed illegally with the administrative echelon of enterprises filling its pockets. The
enterprises were falling apart. Remaining mobilisation facilities, as idling enterprises, required the
corresponding maintenance expenses. Such expenses increased the cost of civil products of
enterprises, making them non-competitive in the internal and external markets. Approval of the law
has subsequently set a legal framework that has defined not only the mobilisation responsibilities
of enterprises, but also the responsibility of the State for enterprise expenses.
A matter of principle importance is the strict legislative framework for mobilisation activity in the
State established by the law. Its legislative basis is the Constitution of the State, international
agreements of the Russian Federation, the Civil Code and other legislative acts of the State in the
field. It imparts a clear definition and maximum possible openness to mobilisation preparation and
activities as part of the state security organization. Detailed definition of authorities and functions of
the President, of the federal state power bodies, executive power bodies of subjects of the Russian
Federation and of local self-governing bodies in the field of mobilisation preparation and
mobilisation is entitled to make it transparent for society to establish actual civilian control over it.
It is notable that the law considerably accounts for particulars of the market economy and the
multitude of possible proprietary forms of enterprises which can receive mobilisation orders. Thus,
the means earmarked for mobilisation preparation are released from VAT; mobilisation purpose
objects and preserved mobilisation facilities and other mobilisation equipment are released from
enterprise property taxation. The law provides for the granting of other privileges to inspire
participation of enterprises in mobilisation preparation, including compensation of losses incurred
by enterprises and citizens because of mobilisation measures by the state, the procedure for which
is established by the Government of the Russian Federation.
The law defines the responsibilities of citizens in the field of mobilisation and mobilisation
preparation. It establishes application of the Civil Code norms in the field. However, the principle of
reservation of citizens for the period of mobilisation providing maintenance of serviceability of the
State’s power bodies and local self-government bodies is disputable. It is adequate for wide scale
war, but for localized military activities it hardly meets the requirements of social equity.
As a whole, the law ‘On Mobilisation Preparation and Mobilisation in the Russian Federation’
defines the main legal framework allowing the settling of mobilisation matters under the new
conditions. Nevertheless, it is oriented towards preparation of a wide scale war and turning the
country into a “uniform military camp.” It hardly considers the particulars of mobilisation preparation
and mobilisation for limited scale military activities. The law does not give answers to specific or
problematic questions, yet it preserves the possibility for solving them in other sub-legislative acts.