Russia's parliament recently voted to raise the maximum conscription age for men from 27 to 30, resulting in an increased number of young men eligible for compulsory military service. The decision comes as Moscow aims to bolster its frontline forces in Ukraine without resorting to another unpopular mobilization, similar to the one initiated in September of the previous year.
Starting from January 1, 2024, Russian citizens aged 18 to 30 will be subject to military service for one year. Moreover, the new law also forbids conscripts from leaving the country once they receive their draft notice from the enlistment office.
The bill still needs approval from the upper chamber and the signature of President Vladimir Putin, though these steps are seen as formalities.
Previously, men aged 18 to 27 were required to complete one year of military service, with conscription taking place twice a year. Lawmakers initially proposed gradually shifting the conscription age to between 21 and 30, but the plan was dropped due to serious demographic concerns affecting the mobilization resources.
To enforce the conscription rules, the Duma also passed a bill imposing higher fines for those who fail to report to an enlistment office after receiving a draft notice. The maximum fine will be 30,000 rubles (about $330) when the law comes into effect on 1 October, a significant increase from the current 3,000 rubles.
Additionally, the legislation empowers Russian governors to establish regional paramilitary units during times of mobilization or martial law. These units would be funded and armed by the state and granted the authority to take down drones, combat enemy sabotage groups, and carry out counter-terrorist operations.
In 2022, Russia announced its plan to increase its professional and conscripted combat personnel by over 30% to reach 1.5 million. However, this ambitious task was complicated by the undisclosed number of casualties suffered by Russian forces in Ukraine. The previous mobilization led to tens of thousands of men fleeing the country to avoid being called up when President Putin announced the mobilization of 300,000 reservists to support Moscow's efforts in Ukraine.
Compulsory military service has been a sensitive topic in Russia, and many young men try to evade conscription during the biannual call-up periods. It's worth noting that conscripts are not legally allowed to be deployed for fighting outside Russia, although there were instances of conscripts being mistakenly sent to the front during the previous mobilization.
The unilateral claim of four Ukrainian regions as Russian territory last September, despite international non-recognition, raised concerns that raw conscripts could now be legally sent into battle.
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