Articles of War

Articles of War 

(1) The first military criminal code in Russia (published Apr. 25, 1715), which became the second part of the Regulations of War of 1716. The need for an elaboration of military articles was bound up with the formation of a regular standing army in Russia. The articles contained an enumeration of military crimes and established means of punishment for these crimes. For such crimes as, for example, treason, refusal of military service, and disobeying an order, cruel punishments were prescribed, such as being beaten with a whip or with rods or suffering exile at hard labor or the death penalty. The Articles of War included the text of the military oath, which emphasized consciousness of the importance of fulfilling one’s military duty, of maintaining one’s loyalty to the banner, and of the observance of firm military discipline. In 1715 a collection of military procedural law titled Short Statement of Procedure or Litigations (third part of the Regulations of War of 1716) was also published.

(2) The Russian term artikul in the 18th and 19th centuries referred to a paragraph in a set of rules or resolutions and also the manual of a rifle.