Putin enacts spring military conscription with decree in Russia

• Putin signs decree outlining routine spring conscription campaign.
• Calls up 150,000 citizens for statutory military service.
• All men are obligated to undergo year-long military service or equivalent training from age 18.

The Kremlin's website posted a document on Sunday showing that Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree outlining the routine spring conscription campaign, which calls up 150,000 citizens for statutory military service. In Russia, all men are obligated to undergo a year-long military service or equivalent training during higher education starting from the age of 18.

In July, the lower house of parliament in Russia voted to raise the maximum conscription age for men from 27 to 30. The new legislation took effect on Jan. 1, 2024. Compulsory military service has long been a sensitive issue in Russia, with many men going to great lengths to avoid receiving conscription papers during the twice-yearly call-up periods.

Conscripts cannot legally be deployed to fight outside Russia and were exempted from a limited mobilization in 2022 that gathered at least 300,000 men with previous military training to fight in Ukraine — although some conscripts were mistakenly sent to the front.

In September, Putin issued an order calling up 130,000 people for the autumn campaign, and last spring Russia planned to conscript 147,000.

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