The article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the institution of suspending the preliminary investigation against participants in a special military operation (hereinafter referred to as the SVO). Based on the study of various scientific approaches and generalization of judicial and investigative practice that developed after the inclusion in the criminal procedure legislation of the new grounds for suspension provided for in paragraph 3.1 of Part 1 of Article 208 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation, the key problems of its application are identified. The author also examines a number of issues related to the suspension of an investigation on this basis: its legal nature, the obligation of the military unit command to make a decision on suspension by the investigator, the ratio of suspension and subsequent termination of criminal prosecution, as well as procedural guarantees of the rights of victims. The author has formulated proposals to improve the legal regulation of the considered grounds for suspension.