Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on March 31 ordering the spring conscription of 160,000 men for compulsory military service, state-owned media TASS reported.
The draft, running from April to June, applied to citizens aged 18 to 30 and marked the largest conscription campaign in 14 years.
Russia conducts conscription twice a year, in spring and fall, requiring eligible men to serve for one year. The last time conscription numbers exceeded this level was in 2011, when 203,000 people were drafted, the Moscow Times noted.
In 2024, the spring campaign required 150,000 people, and the fall draft required 133,000. Putin signs decrees specifying the number of recruits required during each period.
The Russian government has earlier implemented new measures to streamline the conscription process, making it easier to draft young men, including those who previously evaded service.
Although Russian conscripts are typically not deployed in active combat, Moscow has relied on financial incentives and pardons to recruit civilians for the war in Ukraine.
Following the unpopular September 2022 mobilization, which saw over 261,000 Russians flee the country, Putin has avoided another large-scale draft, instead using alternative methods to bolster troop numbers.
Kateryna Denisova
