Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law that provides severe punishment for soldiers who use smartphones at the front. This step caused a wide response and sharp criticism among the Russian military fighting in Ukraine, Novaya Gazeta reports.
The draft law was published last Thursday on the legal portal of the Russian government. However, it remained virtually unnoticed due to the fact that Putin signed more than 50 laws on the same day, and the main public attention was focused on the Ukrainian offensive in Kurshchyna.
Russian military bloggers and experts sharply ridiculed the innovation, calling it inappropriate and one that does not take into account the realities of hostilities. Dmytro Rogozin, former head of Roscosmos and ex-vice prime minister responsible for the defense industry, spoke among the critics of the law.
“Due to the shortcomings of the Ministry of Defense in providing reliable communication, smartphones have become an important communication tool at the front,” Rogozin said on his Telegram channel.
Military personnel interviewed by “Lentoy” expressed their dissatisfaction with the new law, noting that smartphones are indispensable for information exchange, coordination of actions and the use of drones. Some of them pointed out that the maps provided to the military are often out of date, so smartphones are used to download up-to-date data.
“No one will respect this law, and if there are punishments, they will be isolated cases,” the platoon commander with the call sign “Fenibut” is quoted as saying by “Lenta”. He added that gadgets have become an integral part of military equipment and without them the army will lose a significant part of its effectiveness.
Military experts also criticize the bill. Military analyst Kyrylo Mykhaylov noted that the ban on smartphones at the front could lead to a complete collapse of the combat capability of Russian troops. His opinion is shared by Yan Matveev, who stated that smartphones are critically important for communication and navigation.
The draft law, signed by Putin, was adopted after approval by the Federation Council. However, according to military analysts, it can become a tool to strengthen the control of commanders over subordinates, but is unlikely to significantly affect the situation at the front.
