Russian soldiers at a parade. Photo: TASS
Russia is officially launching a spring conscription campaign that will see 160,000 citizens aged 18 to 30 undergo mandatory service. President Vladimir Putin signed the decree on Monday, AFP and Radio Liberty reported.
According to Russian state media, this year’s spring conscription is a record high compared to the last two years. In 2023, during a similar campaign, 147,000 people were drafted into the army, and in the autumn of 2024, 150,000 were drafted.
The Russian Ministry of Defence claims that recruits will not be sent to war against Ukraine. Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Tsimlyansky said that conscripts will not take part in hostilities and will not be sent to the area of the so-called ‘special military operation’.
Despite these assurances, the Kremlin’s mobilisation policy remains controversial. After the announcement of “partial mobilisation” in September 2022, more than 300,000 Russians were forcibly sent to the front, causing a massive exodus of men of military age abroad.
In 2023, the Russian State Duma passed a law that raised the age limit for conscription from 27 to 30 years. Experts believe that this is one of Moscow’s steps to compensate for the significant losses of personnel in the war against Ukraine.
While the Russian leadership continues to mobilise, the international community is increasingly talking about finding ways to end the war. Proposals for a ceasefire are coming from Washington, but the Kremlin has so far shown reluctance to make real concessions.
