Russian president authorizes start of spring conscription drive

Russian President Putin signs a decree initiating the spring conscription campaign, calling up 150,000 citizens for mandatory military service, in line with a recent legislative change extending the conscription age to 30

Russian President Vladimir Putin has authorized the start of the spring conscription drive, summoning 150,000 citizens for compulsory military service, as revealed in a decree on the Kremlin’s official website this Sunday.

Under Russian law, all men aged 18 are mandated to complete a year of military service or equivalent training during their higher education.

In a move from July, the Russian lower house of parliament passed legislation to extend the maximum conscription age for men to 30 from 27, effective from Jan. 1, 2024.

Mandatory military service remains a sensitive topic in Russia, with many men taking measures to avoid conscription during the biannual call-up periods.

According to regulations, conscripts are prohibited from being deployed for combat outside of Russia. However, there was an exemption during a limited mobilization in 2022, which gathered over 300,000 men with prior military experience to serve in Ukraine, though some conscripts were erroneously sent to the frontlines.

In a separate development, Putin had previously authorized the conscription of 130,000 individuals for the autumn campaign, with last spring’s conscription plan aiming for 147,000 recruits.

Source: Newsroom

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