Often accused of seeking to impose a Soviet-style authoritarianism on Russia, President Vladimir Putin has strenthened that impression by pushing legislation allowing a declaration of authoritarian martial law under certain circumstances.

Aggression against Russia, or merely the threat of aggression, will trigger martial law throughout the nation, according to the law about to be passed by Russian legislators.

Russia's lower house of Parliament, the Duma, unanimously voted for a law pushed by President Putin rather than for a version of the law proposed by fellow members.

According to the Russian news service Itar-Tass, once passed by the full Parliament the law will provide that martial law will be declared either throughout Russia, or in separate areas of Russia, should there be any kind of outside aggression against the nation, or even a direct threat of aggression. Itar-Tass reports that the law defines what constitutes the sort of aggression that would require a declaration of martial law.

The legislation also defines the expanded powers of the president, the government and local authorities.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/4/22/144558.shtml

Hmmm.. seems everyone is preparing for assorted calamities..

-- Anonymous, April 23, 2001