Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the conscription of 135,000 men for routine military service, marking the country’s biggest autumn draft since 2016.
Russia enforces compulsory military service twice a year, in spring and autumn, for men aged between 18 and 30. Conscripts typically serve one year at bases inside Russia, though reports suggest some have been sent to the front lines in Ukraine despite official denials.
The Kremlin insists that routine conscription is separate from wartime mobilisation, but those who complete military training are more likely to be called up to fight later.
In his latest decree, Putin instructed that conscription run from October 1 to December 31, 2025. With 160,000 already drafted in the spring, this year’s total will be the largest since 2016. Traditionally, more men are called up in spring, coinciding with graduation season.
Since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has intensified Russia’s military preparations, significantly increasing defense spending and expanding the size of the army. Annual conscription numbers have risen by an average of five percent since 2022.
In September 2024, Putin ordered Russia’s military to grow to 1.5 million active personnel, making it one of the largest standing armies in the world.
What you should know
Russia’s stepped-up conscription reflects the Kremlin’s ongoing war preparedness amid the conflict in Ukraine.
While the government frames it as routine service, analysts warn that trained conscripts could eventually be deployed to the front lines, strengthening Moscow’s military position.
