Russia Moves to Year-Round Military Draft as Kremlin Ramps Up War Mobilization

Russia’s State Duma has approved in a second reading a draft law that would allow military conscription to take place year-round, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, significantly tightening the Kremlin’s mobilization framework amid its ongoing war against Ukraine, Russian media reported.

The legislation, passed with several key amendments, would enable recruitment offices to summon citizens for medical examinations, psychological assessments, and draft commission hearings at any time of the year, rather than during the traditional spring and autumn cycles.

While deployment to military service would still occur twice a year — from April 1 to July 15 and from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 – draft notices could now be issued continuously throughout the year.

One major amendment introduces a 30-day validity period for electronic draft notices issued by military enlistment offices. Currently, such summonses remain valid indefinitely, meaning conscripts can be barred from leaving the country for months while awaiting their reporting date.

Legal experts say the new limit will “prevent excessive restrictions on freedom of movement” while ensuring “swift mobilization.”

The bill also clarifies the process for reviewing draft decisions. If a conscript called into service becomes eligible for deferment, for example, due to health or family circumstances, he can now submit a request that must be reviewed within five business days. Military commissions will then forward the case to a higher authority for reconsideration.

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The 30-day rule was introduced by Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Duma’s Defense Committee, after the bill’s first reading.

He stated that without a deadline, “the mandatory nature” of the draft would be undermined, and conscripts might ignore summonses “for months.” Those who fail to report within the 30-day period will face fines, though the size of the penalties will be determined later.

The government says the shift to a year-round conscription system is intended to “ease the administrative burden” on recruitment offices and streamline mobilization processes.

The bill’s final reading is scheduled for Oct. 28. If passed, it will mark one of the most significant overhauls of Russia’s conscription system in decades – a move seen by analysts as part of the Kremlin’s efforts to sustain its Ukraine invasion amid mounting losses and manpower shortages.