Year-Round Military Draft: Putin Implements New Law to Streamline Conscription Process

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin enacted a law that shifts the military to a year-round conscription model beginning next year, as part of the Kremlin’s initiative to boost troop levels for its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

While this new legislation does not alter the traditional biannual draft, it permits draft boards to perform medical assessments, psychological evaluations, and other enlistment procedures at any point throughout the year.

Conscription will continue to occur between April 1 and July 15 and from October 1 to December 31.

Additionally, the law introduces a 30-day validity for electronic draft notifications, replacing the prior indefinite timeline. Military officials stated that this change aims to prevent draft boards from keeping individuals in uncertainty by issuing notices for extended periods without actual deployment.

Proponents of the reform argue that it aims to alleviate the administrative challenges faced by military recruitment offices and facilitate a more balanced distribution of workload throughout the year.

This revamped system is expected to enhance the efficiency of the conscription process and diminish congestion during the peak biannual recruitment periods.