The Impact of a Special Military Operation on Crime in Russia

The paper is devoted to the issue of the current and future impact of the special military operation launched in February 2022 on crime in Russia. The purpose of the paper is the following. Based on criminal records statistics and doctrinal points of view, the author aims to identify socially dangerous acts caused by a special military operation; to make assumptions about the development of the criminal situation in the country in the context of a special military operation; to propose measures to prevent the deterioration of the criminal situation. The following aspects have been consistently analyzed: criminality of persons pardoned for participation in a special military operation (taking into account the historical experience of involving prisoners in combat); criminality due to post-traumatic stress disorder; criminality due to the increase in income of participants in a special military operation, as well as in connection with their acquisition of skills in handling firearms; fraudulent actions against relatives of participants in a special military operation; juvenile delinquency; crime related to forced migration; extremist manifestations; war crime. The data on criminal records for 2019–2023 for a number of crimes and in the context of the category of socially dangerous acts committed are separately noted. The empirical basis of the study was data from the Judicial Department of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, Rosstat and the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. The results of the study can be applied in law enforcement, in the legislative process and in further scientific research on the impact of military operations on crime.