Comparative Analysis of the Legal Mechanisms for the Application of Criminal Penalties Under Martial Law in the Post-Soviet Space

The article examines the impact of martial law and similar conditions on the qualification of crimes and the penalties imposed in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The object of the study is the criminal codes of the post-Soviet countries. The purpose of the article is to identify the specifics of sentencing under martial law, general trends and patterns using the example of these states. To achieve this goal, methods of comparative analysis, legal analysis and content analysis of legislation are used. The research materials include the criminal codes of the countries under consideration, as well as relevant literature and official documents. The novelty of the research lies in an integrated approach to the analysis of the legislation of the former USSR countries and the development of practical recommendations for its improvement. The importance of having legal definitions relating to wartime conditions is emphasized for the effective qualification of crimes, and the experience of States whose criminal laws enshrine such concepts is also mentioned. Based on the analysis of data on the differentiation of responsibility depending on the conditions of commission of crimes, patterns in the application of more severe punishments, in particular, to military and war crimes, as well as the lack of a unified approach to other categories of crimes, are highlighted. It is proposed to expand the range of punishments for crimes committed during wartime in favor of labor measures, which will ensure the restoration of damaged infrastructure and reduce the cost of maintaining convicts.