Russian leader Vladimir Putin has signed a decree for the 2025 autumn military draft, running from October 1 to December 31, according to a decree posted on the official Russian government legal portal on September 29.
The call-up will target 135,000 Russian citizens aged 18 to 30.
Vice Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky, deputy head of Russia’s Main Organizational and Mobilization Directorate, said draftees will serve only within Russia and will not participate in Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Previously, it was reported Russia is considering a major overhaul of its conscription system that would allow for continuous draft procedures year-round, as the country grapples with unprecedented military losses in Ukraine, according to the proposed legislative changes, introduced by the head of the Russian Parliament’s Defense Committee.
If they want, they can turn on their VPN and read the BBC in Russian just like you or me can read RT. Is it made visible or convenient in any way? No. And the story the local media tells happens to be much more alluring if you’re personally a Russian…
Being political is not cool in Russia; they’ve had bad experiences both with government supporters and government collapse in recent history, and then Putin has encouraged apathy as a control technique on top of it. It sounds like the vibe is more that everyone’s keeping their head down and hoping it just resolves itself.
Which is also why there’s not more volunteers, they have to pay them literally like they won a lottery, and then they still get really basic effort in the end.