President Vladimir Putin has announced a draft of 160,000 young men, marking the largest military mobilization since 2011, amid rampant violence in Ukraine and NATO expansion concerns.**
Putin Initiates Largest Military Draft in Over a Decade Amid Ongoing Conflict**
Putin Initiates Largest Military Draft in Over a Decade Amid Ongoing Conflict**
Russia undertakes a significant military call-up, mobilizing 160,000 conscripts as tensions escalate in Ukraine.**
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the conscription of 160,000 men aged 18-30, the highest number of draft notices since 2011, as Russia seeks to bolster its military presence. This spring draft signals a strategic increase in military personnel following Putin's announcement of a plan to expand the military to nearly 2.39 million, including an increase of 180,000 active servicemen over the next three years.
Despite assurances from Vice Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky that the new recruits would not be dispatched to Ukraine for the ongoing "special military operation," there have been reports of conscripts suffering casualties in the border regions. Additionally, previous drafts included young men who were sent to Ukraine at the onset of a full-scale invasion.
This latest wave of conscription, occurring between April and July, coincides with a continued escalation in violence, with Ukraine reporting a Russian attack in Kherson that left 45,000 residents without power. Even as the U.S. attempts to mediate a ceasefire, Russia has rejected a comprehensive ceasefire agreement while denying violations of any interim arrangements regarding attacks on energy infrastructure.
The current conscription ranks surpass the previous year's by 10,000, expanding the drafting pool by increasing the maximum age from 27 to 30. Notifications are now being delivered through traditional means as well as the state services platform, Gosuslugi, and reports indicate that notices had already begun circulating on March 31.
Amid rising resistance to serving, many young Russians are seeking alternative civilian service roles. Human rights lawyer Timofey Vaskin highlighted the uncertainties surrounding military drafts, describing them as a "lottery" where the authorities are constantly adjusting their methods to recruit more soldiers. Since the conflict escalated last February, numerous soldiers have been recruited from other countries, including North Korea, to mitigate reported losses, with estimates as high as 100,000 Russian fatalities.
The continued expansion of Russia's military comes in response to perceived threats from the war in Ukraine and NATO's growth, which includes the recent accession of Finland and Sweden. In light of these developments, Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced a strategy to retract bans on anti-personnel mines while committing to an increase in defense spending to 3% of its GDP. The situation remans tense in Eastern Europe, indicating ongoing geopolitical ramifications stemming from the conflict in Ukraine.
