MOSCOW, February 4 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law Tuesday to create a greatly broadened military police force to defend the country’s military bases and maintain order on them.
The law, patterned on foreign military practices, will task the force with protecting the rights of servicemen, investigating crimes committed by or against military personnel and with guarding and maintaining law and order at defense facilities.
Previously, the investigation of military crimes was under the jurisdiction of unit commanders.
A small military police force was introduced in 2012 in an effort to combat the theft of defense property and widespread hazing in the armed forces, which still conscript young men for one year of obligatory service.
The new law will substantially increase the size and powers of the military police, including granting officers the right to use physical force and carry firearms.
The current head of the military police, Igor Sidorkevich, said that the force will need to expand to more than 50,000 officers from its current size of 6,500 to meet its new responsibilities, which could include counterterrorist security and riot control according to the new law.
