Camilla Jessen
A 28-year-old man stopped at the border after appearing in military draft database
Russia has implemented its first known travel ban under the country’s new military registration system, after a 28-year-old man was prevented from flying abroad just days after receiving a draft notice.
The man, whose story was shared via the Telegram channel Pogranichnyy Kontrol (Border Control) and Istories, said he received a draft summons on September 8, instructing him to report for a medical exam on October 22.
Shortly after, a travel restriction appeared in his digital military register profile. Despite this, he attempted to proceed with a vacation he had planned months earlier.
“At passport control in Sheremetyevo, officers approached me without saying a word. They confirmed the ban was visible in their system and said there was nothing they could do. They also told me I was the first case they’d seen under the new service,” he wrote.
New Rules, New Restrictions
The restriction stems from changes to Russia’s military conscription system, which now imposes automatic travel bans on conscripts once a draft notice has been issued.
The ban applies specifically to men aged 18 to 30 who are eligible for conscription and have not received a deferment or exemption.
According to the Movement of Conscientious Objectors (MCO), the man would only be allowed to leave the country if he presents himself at the enlistment office or successfully appeals the draft notice and accompanying travel restriction.
Russia’s “unified register of military registration” officially launched in August, as part of an effort to streamline conscription and prevent draft evasion.
The man’s experience appears to be the first documented case of the new system being enforced at border control.
This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, which may have used AI in the preparation
