Russia is preparing to enlist students too, with a change in army management for the war in Ukraine. Moscow is working on a larger draft of conscripts to bolster army numbers. The British intelligence daily bulletin writes it, referring to the law that raises the military age from 18-27 to 21-30.
Since the Soviet era, military service has been called up in Russia twice a year. It is a distinct event from the mobilization carried out last September, also because conscripts officially cannot be sent to fight in Ukraine. However, the bulletin points out, “hundreds” of them still served at the front due to bureaucratic mess or because they were forced to sign contracts of employment.
Many young Russians in the 18-21 age group get exemption from the draft for study reasons, the raising of the age, it is stressed, will serve “to increase the number of troops, ensuring that students are also forced to serve While Russia continues to refrain from deploying conscripts in the war, the new conscripts will allow more professional soldiers to be sent to fight.”
