Russia’s conscription push coincides with the ongoing military campaign in Ukraine, with new legislation increasing age limit for mandatory service.

On Friday, September 29, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree for the annual autumn conscription, calling up 130,000 Russian citizens for mandatory military service. This announcement comes amid Russia’s ongoing military engagement in Ukraine, now entering its 20th month, as part of what Russia refers to as its “special military operation.”

Under Russian law, all men between the ages of 18 and 27 are required to complete a year of military service, with the option for those in higher education to undergo equivalent training. The move follows a similar conscription campaign earlier in the year, which saw 147,000 citizens called up. Putin has previously acknowledged that the war in Ukraine is likely to continue for an extended period, prompting these efforts to bolster Russia’s military forces.

In a related development, the Russian government has also passed legislation to increase the maximum conscription age from 27 to 30, with the new rule set to take effect on January 1, 2024. Additionally, Russia aims to expand its professional and conscripted military personnel by over 30%, bringing the total number of combat troops to 1.5 million, a challenging target given the heavy, but undisclosed, casualties suffered by Russian forces in Ukraine.

Elsewhere, on the international stage, the UK imposed asset freezes and travel bans on officials from Russia’s annexed regions of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Crimea, as part of ongoing sanctions against Russia. The European Union also moved to provide urgent ammunition supplies to Ukraine, with seven countries placing orders under a new EU scheme designed to replenish depleted artillery stockpiles.

In the broader context of the war, Putin also met with Andrei Troshev, a former commander of the Wagner mercenary group, to discuss the use of voluntary combat units in the ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, Romania has increased its defense measures near the Danube River, adding air defenses and military patrols in response to Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian grain facilities.