The article reveals the main reasons for criminalizing the dissemination, under the guise of reliable reports, of deliberately false information containing data on the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in order to protect the interests of the Russian Federation and its citizens, maintain international peace and security. The author makes an attempt to give a criminal-legal assessment of the acts provided for in Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, briefly analyzes the elements of the composition of this offense and identifies some problems that may arise in law enforcement practice. On the basis of judicial and doctrinal interpretations, it reveals the contents of the concepts of information dissemination, publicity, the artificial creation of evidence for the prosecution and other mandatory signs of the objective side of this crime. The author draws conclusions and suggestions that may be useful in law enforcement practice.

The article reveals the main determinants of political and ethno-national extremism in modern Russian society. The author attempts to give a criminological assessment of extremist manifestations in Russia as a whole and in the North Caucasus region most affected by extremism and identifies some problems arising in connection with the global extremist impact on Russia organized by the United States and a number of EU countries in connection with the special military operation of the Russian armed forces to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine. Based on the study of court decisions, scientific papers and statistical materials, the author suggests some special criminological measures to counter extremism.