Putin's bold move: Record-breaking draft targets 150,000 conscripts
Vladimir Putin has signed a decree for the spring military draft, which will include 150,000 young men. This draft is the largest since the onset of Russia's full-scale aggression in Ukraine. Men aged 18 to 30 will be called to serve.
The President of Russia signed the decree for the spring military draft, which will begin on April 1 and last until July 15. According to reports from the independent Russian portal Meduza, 150,000 young men will be summoned for military service. This figure represents a significant increase compared to previous years.
Under the new regulations that took effect in Russia in 2023, citizens aged 18 to 30 will be called to military service. This is the largest spring draft since the commencement of Russia's full-scale war with Ukraine.
In 2022, 134,500 individuals were called to the military, and the following year, the number increased to 147,000. By 2024, the number of draftees reached 150,000, indicating a continued effort to expand the size of the Russian army.
Russia organizes another military draft
The portal "Meduza" notes that the rise in the number of draftees stems from Putin's decision to gradually enlarge the army, in line with ongoing military aggression in Ukraine. At the beginning of 2022, the Russian army comprised approximately one million soldiers, and this number has now grown to one and a half million, highlighting the scale of Russia's military expansion plans.
Additionally, in February of this year, the Russian Ministry of Defense implemented significant changes in regulations concerning military medical examinations. The new rules significantly alter procedures, making it much harder to obtain an exemption from mandatory military service for health reasons.
These changes aim to reduce the number of individuals who can avoid military service, aligning with the strategy of expanding the size of the armed forces.
