Problems of Qualification of Sabotage Against Telecom Infrastructure

During the period of the special military operation and the tense geopolitical situation in the Russian Federation, there have been more cases of sabotage against telecommunication infrastructure, including communication lines, facilities, and communication equipment, such as mobile radio telephone base stations. An analysis of the emerging law enforcement practice reveals a number of challenges faced by law enforcement agencies and courts when it comes to qualifying such acts. In particular, attention should be paid to the difficulties in distinguishing between the crimes covered by Articles 205 and 281 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Additionally, there is a need to accurately identify and describe the object of the encroachment. Considering the above, this article explores certain problematic aspects of the classification of this type of offense, including the definition of the object, the objective side, and the target orientation. Based on an analysis of the most common targets of encroachment, appropriate amendments to Article 281 of the Criminal Code are proposed in order to better reflect the essence of these objects.