Kathrine Frich
A new move suggests Moscow is preparing for a prolonged conflict.
International efforts continue drive forward peace negotiations over the war in Ukraine, but Putin shows no intention of stopping.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree introducing year-round conscription for compulsory military service starting in 2026.
261,000 to be drafted
According to Russia’s Defence Ministry, the decree authorises the drafting of 261,000 people in 2026.
The measure applies to Russian citizens aged 18 to 30 who are not part of the military reserve.
The document states that, following recent legislative changes, conscription procedures will now take place throughout the entire calendar year.
This includes medical examinations, professional psychological assessments and meetings of local draft boards, all of which will be conducted on a continuous basis from January to December.
Deployment schedule unchanged
Despite the shift to year-round conscription procedures, the deployment of conscripts to their places of service will continue on the same twice-yearly schedule as before.
Call-ups will take place from 1 April to 15 July and from 1 October to 31 December.
The decree also provides for the discharge of conscripts whose period of compulsory military service has ended.
Part of broader legal changes
The decision follows a series of legislative steps taken over the past year.
On 28 October, the Russian State Duma passed a law in its third and final reading allowing conscription-related procedures to be carried out throughout the year, from 1 January to 31 December.
The bill had earlier been approved at first reading in September.
In 2023, lawmakers raised the upper conscription age for men to 30, introduced restrictions preventing those called up from leaving the country, and increased fines for failing to report to a military enlistment office tenfold.
Sources: Russia’s Defence Ministry, Ukrainska Pravda
