Russian citizens to be drafted into army year-round: New conscription rules
Photo: Russian military (Getty Images)
In Russia, the current system of compulsory military service will be changed with the introduction of year-round conscription into the army. The State Duma has passed the corresponding bill in its first reading, according to Interfax and RIA Novosti.
According to the document, conscription will take place throughout the entire calendar year — from January 1 to December 31 — based on a presidential decree.
Medical examinations, professional psychological assessments, and draft board sessions will be conducted continuously, while citizens will be dispatched to their places of service during the established periods: from April 1 to July 15 and from October 1 to December 31.
The bill also stipulates that draft notices may be sent at any time during the year. If a conscript does not receive a summons, he is obliged to report to the military enlistment office on his own to verify his data within two weeks from the start of the next dispatch period.
Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrey Kartapolov noted that the new system is intended to "ease the workload of enlistment offices," which currently "operate for three months a year like a scalded cat."
Expansion of Russia’s army
It was previously reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin was presented with plans to expand the size of the Russian army by about 30%, to 1.5 million personnel.
In August 2022, Putin signed a decree officially increasing the strength of the Russian Armed Forces to 1.15 million.
In addition, a law has come into force in Russia raising the upper age limit for compulsory military service from 27 to 30. The lower limit remains unchanged: citizens will be conscripted starting at age 18.
Russia has also proposed raising the conscription age for foreigners who have obtained citizenship.
