Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Signs Law Raising Maximum Draft Age

Russian servicemen undergo combat training. Alexander Reka / TASS

President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that raises the upper age limit for military conscription, as Moscow continues its efforts to widen the pool of potential recruits for its war in Ukraine.

Under previous Russian law, all men aged 18-27 were required to complete a one-year term of compulsory military service, a requirement that has been in place since before the invasion of Ukraine.

The law signed by Putin on Friday expands the age range for this compulsory military service to 18-30 starting in January 2024.

The final version of the law does away with original amendments — which had been endorsed by Putin in December — that sought to gradually raise the lower and upper age limits over a period of three years for compulsory military service to 21-30.

The originally proposed amendments “seemed sufficient at that moment [in December 2022],” an anonymous source close to the Kremlin told the independent news website Vyorstka in July.

Russia's mounting military losses in Ukraine have compelled the army to expand the pool of potential recruits, with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu seeking to increase the country's combat personnel from 1.15 million to 1.5 million.

Putin on Friday also signed a law that bans draftees from leaving the country — which along with raising the upper age limit for conscription and the introduction of digital draft notices in the spring — has fueled speculation that the Kremlin may be laying the groundwork for a second wave of mobilization. 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more