Putin Orders Conscription of 133,000 in Russia’s Autumn Draft
The decree, published on Monday in Rossiyskaya Gazeta, calls for the drafting of men aged 18 to 30 who are not in the reserve
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the conscription of 133,000 new servicemen for Russia’s autumn draft, which runs from October 1 through the end of the year. The decree, published on Monday in Rossiyskaya Gazeta, calls for the drafting of men aged 18 to 30 who are not in the reserve, in line with Russian federal law.
Vice-Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky, head of Russia’s conscription office, confirmed that conscripts will serve for 12 months in military units within Russia. He emphasized that the new recruits will not be deployed to participate in the “special military operation” in the newly annexed regions of Ukraine. Russia refers to its invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, as a special military operation. However, Ukraine and its allies view it as an unprovoked act of aggression aimed at territorial expansion.
In 2022, Russia annexed parts of southeastern Ukraine, referring to these areas as “new regions,” a move widely condemned by the international community. The ongoing conflict has drawn harsh criticism from NATO and Western leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Joe Biden, who blame Putin for escalating the war.
Putin has also cited increasing threats on Russia’s western borders as justification for expanding the military. In September, he ordered the Russian army to grow by 180,000 troops, aiming for a total force of 1.5 million active servicemen. This would make Russia’s military the second-largest in the world, behind China.
As tensions remain high, Putin’s conscription order signals Russia’s intention to bolster its military capabilities amid ongoing conflicts and rising concerns about security on its western front.
