Putin Orders Draft ofโ 135,000 Russian Young Men for Military Service
Moscow, Russia โ- Russianโฃ President Vladimir Putin has ordered the โconscription of 135,000โฃ youngโข men aged 18 to 30 โขfor mandatoryโฃ military service in the autumn draft, the largest such call-up as 2016. The conscripts will serveโ one year at militaryโ bases โคwithin Russia. โWhile the Kremlin insists this draft is separate from ongoing โฃmobilization efforts related toโ the warโ in Ukraine, experts note that those completingโ this initial service are more likely to be called โขupon for futureโฃ combat deployments.
This autumn draft, combined โขwith the 160,000 conscriptsโข summoned in โthe spring, represents the largest total number of โคsummons issued in a single year since 2016.The move comes amid continued fighting in Ukraine โขadnโ ongoingโ concerns about โRussia’s manpower โขneeds. Though officially intended as routine military training, reports persist โof conscripts being deployed toโ the front linesโค despite assurances to the โcontrary.The annual conscription campaigns typically occur inโ spring and autumn,โ drawing from those completingโค secondary or higher education.
Russia maintains that theโค conscripts will not beโค sent to โขfight in Ukraine, but the possibility remains a concern given theโ evolving situation andโค reported instances of prior conscripts beingโ deployed to the conflict zone. The spring conscription โคperiod, running from April to July, typically sees higher โnumbers due to the graduation of students from schools and universities.This latest draft underscores โคRussia’s continued focus on maintaining a sizable military โคforce, even as the war in ukraine enters its thirdโฃ year.
