Criminal-Law Protection of the External Security of the Russian Federation

This study is devoted to fundamental issues of safeguarding state sovereignty. The research addresses questions of legal regulation of the very category of “state sovereignty” and the principles of state sovereignty in a separate federal constitutional law, as well as issues of forming a reliable system for ensuring state sovereignty, which includes, as a basic element, criminal-law protection of the external security of the Russian Federation. The article examines contemporary threats to the security of the State arising from external encroachments, such as espionage, state treason, cooperation by citizens with foreign intelligence services, recruitment of stateless persons and foreign nationals present in the territory of the Russian Federation for activities directed against Russia’s security, information warfare, political pressure (including the use of economic sanctions), influence through international organisations, and the like. Attention is drawn to the implementation by foreign states of comprehensive “colour revolution” programmes in post-Soviet countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova), as well as attempts to organise such programmes in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. The article emphasises a shift in the contemporary vector of interference in the internal affairs of states—from overt “colour revolutions” to more complex and covert activity by foreign agents aimed at undermining the foundations of the constitutional order and national security. Amendments to Russian criminal legislation are analysed with respect to improving certain offences (Articles 275 and 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and criminalising particular socially dangerous acts (Articles 275.1, 276.1, 284.2 and 284.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) aimed at protecting the State from external threats. Proposals are formulated to enhance the level of criminal-law protection of the external security of the Russian State, in particular by expanding the disposition of Article 205.6 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and legislatively establishing citizens’ duty to report crimes falling under Articles 275, 275.1, 276 and 276.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. This, the authors argue, would improve the effectiveness of detecting, preventing and suppressing crimes of this category.The conclusions on the legislative consolidation of state sovereignty principles and the proposals for improving Article 205.6 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation are intended to contribute to more reliable safeguarding of the state sovereignty of the Russian Federation and its protection from external threats, including through criminal-law measures. 

1. Sal’nikov V. P., Ivashov L. G., Dzhegutanov B. K. The Philosophy of Globalisation (Methodological Foundations of Russia’s Geopolitical Doctrine). St. Petersburg: Fond «Universitet» Publ.; 2006. 268 p. (In Russ.)

2. Aksenov I. S. The Peculiarities of the Correlation Between the Concepts of “People’s Sovereignty”, “National Sovereignty” and “State Sovereignty”. Sinergiya nauk. 2018;22:1042-1052. (In Russ.)

3. Mirzoev A. K. Sovereignty: Genesis and Conceptual Evolution of Ideas in Political-And-Legal Science (Baseline Fundamentals – Niccolo Machiavelli and Jean Bodin). World of Politics and Sociology. 2013;11:149-157. (In Russ.)

4. Ovsepyan Zh. I. On the Sovereignty of the Russian State in the Context of the Factors of Modern World Development (a Studybased on the Law on the Amendment to the Constitution of the Russian Federation of 14.03.2020 № 1-FKZ). North Caucasus Legal Vestnik. 2023;4:86-101. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22394/2074-7306-2023-1-4-86-101 (In Russ.)

5. Klimenko O. A., Mirzoev A. K. The Development of the Concept of Sovereignty from Marsilius of Padua to Hegel. Juridical Science. 2016;3:22-29. (In Russ.)

6. Sytin A. G. Conceptual Shift in the Understanding of the Bases of Politics in European Thought of the XIV Century: the Doctrine of Marsilius of Padua. Moscow University Bulletin. Series 7. Philosophy. 2018;4:35-43. (In Russ.)

7. Mikheeva V. A. The Evolution of the Concept of “Sovereignty” and Sovereignty Issues in Contemporary World Politics. In: Il’inskii I. M. (Ed.). Higher Education for the 21st Century: The Role of Humanities Education in the Context of Technological and Sociocultural Change. Pt. 2. Moscow: Moscow University for the Humanities Publ.; 2019. P. 906–912. (In Russ.)

8. Mirzoev A. K. Genesis and Evolution of Ideas of Sovereignty in Political-and-Legal Concepts of People’s and National Sovereignty. World of Politics and Sociology. 2015;1:141-150. (In Russ.)

9. Kudryavtsev Yu. A. State Sovereignty as the Basis of the Constitutional Order (On the Need for Legal Formalisation). In: Legal Safeguarding of Russia’s Sovereignty: Problems and Prospects. Pt. 3. Moscow: Kutafin Moscow State Law University Publ. Centre, 2024. P. 58–60. (In Russ.)

10. Gutman M. Yu., Zakhartsev S. I., Zorina N. V. etc. Political and Legal Governance and Threats to State Sovereignty. 2nd ed. Moscow: INFRA-M Publ.; 2024. 423 p. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12737/2127021 (In Russ.)

11. Novikov A. V. System of Ensuring National Security of the Russian Federation. Philosophical and Political Aspect. Matters of Russian and International Law. 2024;14(3-1):27-34. (In Russ.)

12. Zakhartsev S. I., Klimenko O. A., Mirzoev A. K., Sal’nikov M. V., Tret’yakov I. L. Sovereignty of the Russian Federation: Modern Threats and Ensuring Military Security. World of Politics and Sociology. 2017;1:120-139. (In Russ.)

13. Ryabchuk V. N. State Treason and Espionage: A Criminal-Law and Criminological Study. St. Petersburg: Yuridicheskii tsentr Press, 2007. 1100 p. (In Russ.)

14. Semchenkov A. S. Prevention and Neutralisation of External Threats to Russia’s Political Stability. Bulletin of Russian Nation. 2011;4-5:242-251. (In Russ.)

15. Moiseev V. V. The Soviet Union: History of Creation, Development, and Collapse. Moscow: Direktmedia Publishing, 2022. 224 p. (In Russ.)

16. Khlebushkin A. G. Implementation of the Activities of the Organization in Respect of Which a Decision Was Made To Recognize the Activities of the Organization That Are Unacceptable on the Territory of the Russian Federation: Questions of Qualification and Improvement of Legislation. Bulletin of St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. 2018;4:114-119. (In Russ.)