Putin signs state defence contracts decree

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree enabling the state to suspend the directors and shareholders of any companies that fail to meet state defence contracts under conditions of martial law.

The new decree would apply to companies that “violate their obligations under a state contract, including failing to take measures to guarantee production deliveries”.

The decree would allow the industry ministry to name a new external administrator to take over the running of such companies.

Asked earlier at his daily news briefing if martial law could be introduced in certain regions of Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that was the president’s prerogative, but did not say whether Putin planned such a move.

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Putin said in October he was introducing martial law in four regions of Ukraine that Moscow has partly seized control of and claimed as its own territory, a move condemned as illegal by most countries.

A year into the war with Ukraine, he has not extended martial law across Russia but has effectively placed the economy on a war footing, with defence factories working around the clock in three shifts to meet the needs of the army.

Zainab Sa’id