Problems of legal regulation of liability for the public dissemination of knowingly false information about the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the exercise by state bodies of the Russian Federation of their powers provided by Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

This article addresses the relevant problem of criminal law groundwork for public safety; the author’s own definition for public safety is proposed. It is noted that after the start of the special military operation by the Armed Forces of Russia on the territory of Ukraine, the Russian authorities, in order to minimize destructive information in society and prevent protest actions, took a number of socio-political and information-propaganda measures, made changes to the current criminal legislation, in particular, Article 207.3 was introduced into the Criminal Code. The author analyzes this innovation of the criminal law, gives a comment to it; the author’s own definition of “dissemination of knowingly false information” in respect to this article is proposed; recommendations for improving the structure of the substance of this crime are substantiated. One of the main issues when considering Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is the compliance between the degree of public danger of the acts provided by it and the penalties established in it. The author comes to the conclusion that it is necessary to mitigate criminal liability, transfer the crime provided by Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation from especially to the category of moderate gravity by excluding parts 2 and 3, and it is also proposed to introduce administrative prejudice into the.