Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree outlining the customary spring conscription campaign, summoning 150,000 citizens for compulsory military service, according to a document published on the Kremlin’s official website on Sunday.
Under Russian law, all men are obligated to undergo a year-long military service or equivalent training during higher education beginning at the age of 18. In a move approved by Russia’s lower house of parliament last July, the maximum conscription age for men was raised from 27 to 30, with the legislation taking effect on January 1, 2024.
The issue of compulsory military service remains a contentious topic in Russia, where many individuals resort to various measures to evade conscription during the semiannual call-up periods.
Conscripts are legally prohibited from being deployed for combat operations outside Russia’s borders. In a limited mobilization effort in 2022, which gathered at least 300,000 men with prior military training to participate in operations in Ukraine, conscripts were exempted, although some were mistakenly dispatched to the front lines.
In September, Putin authorized the enlistment of 130,000 individuals for the autumn campaign, while in the previous spring, Russia had planned to conscript 147,000 citizens.
