Russia Signs Decree on 135 Thousand Recruits

Putin has announced an autumn draft: more than 130,000 Russians will be drafted into the army.

This figure probably also includes recruits from the territories temporarily occupied by Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on the autumn conscription for military service in October-December for citizens aged 18 to 30.

The decree was reported by Russian media, including Interfax and Meduza.

Russia traditionally holds conscription twice a year, in spring and fall.

Recently, the State Duma of the Russian Federation passed in the first reading a bill that provides for conscription throughout the year – from January 1st to December 31st.

According to this initiative, medical examinations, psychological screening, and meetings of conscription commissions should take place continuously.

At the same time, the dispatch of recruits to the places of service will remain in certain periods: from April 1st to July 15th and from October 1st to December 31st.

This will be determined by a presidential decree specifying the units and number of recruits.

“From October 1st to December 31st, 2025, to call up for military service citizens of the Russian Federation aged 18 to 30 who are not in the reserve and are subject to military service in the amount of 135,000 people,” Putin’s decree reads.

He also ordered the dismissal of military personnel whose service has expired.

Before that, Russian General Staff spokesman Vladimir Tsimlyansky assured that recruits would not be sent to war against Ukraine as part of the fall conscription.

According to him, the campaign will be conducted using the Unified Military Register, although paper calls will also be used.

In 2023, the Russian State Duma raised the upper age of conscription to 30, banned people with a draft notice from traveling abroad, and increased fines for failure to report to the military commissariat tenfold.

In addition, in Russian-occupied Mariupol, men with Russian passports have already begun to be summoned to military commissariats.