Russia to consider law on property confiscation for 'fakes' about army

Volunteers, who joined the Russian armed forces and took military training in Chechnya, board a plane before departing for positions of the Akhmat battalion involved in Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, at an airport in Grozny, Russia, January 17, 2024. REUTERS/Chingis Kondarov/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian lawmakers have prepared a bill allowing for the confiscation of money and property from people who spread "deliberately false information" about the country's armed forces, a senior member of parliament said on Saturday.

Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, said the measure would also apply to those found guilty of what he described as other forms of betrayal. These included "discrediting" the armed forces, calling for sanctions against Russia or inciting extremist activity.