The respective document is placed on the official legal information resource. The new law augments the article 215.3 (Disabling Oil, Gas and Petroleum Products Pipelines) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation with a new clause. The latter envisages liability not only for destroying or disabling pipeline transportation facilities, but also for unauthorised tapping into oil, gas and petroleum products pipelines by a person who has already been subjected to administrative penalty for a similar wrongdoing.

“Repeat tapping offenders” will face a fine of up to 80,000 roubles, or equal to the amount of the convicted person’s salary or other income for a period of up to 6 months. An alternative punishment is up to 360 hours of community service, up to one year of correctional labour and up to two years of custodial restraint, penal labour or confinement.

Unauthorised tapping into trunk pipelines will be punished with a fine of up to 200,000 roubles or in the amount of the convicted person’s salary or other income for a period of up to 18 months. An alternative punishment is up to 400 hours of community service, up to two years of correctional labour, up to three years of custodial restraint or penal labour and up to four years of imprisonment.

If gross negligence manslaughter or other grave consequences result from the unlawful action, the guilty will be punished by up to five years of penal labour or up to 8 years of imprisonment.

The law also specifies corresponding amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation. The Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building stated that “passing the federal law will increase the efficiency of preventing emergencies at oil and gas distribution systems fraught with serious risks of inflicting harm on human life or health and property of natural persons or legal entities”.