Putin signs decree to recruit 160,000 young men into the army
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new decree ordering the recruitment of 160,000 young men into the army.
The recruitment campaign will begin in April and run until June. It is aimed at men aged between 18 and 30. This is the highest number of recruits in the past 14 years, reports Novaya Gazeta.
For comparison, here is the evolution of the number of recruits in previous years:
• In 2022 – the year Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine – 134,500 people were recruited in the spring and 120,000 in the autumn.
• In 2023, the number of recruits rose to 147,000 in the spring and 130,000 in the autumn.
• In 2024, 150,000 young men had already been conscripted in the spring, with 133,000 in the autumn.
The last time Russia conscripted such a large number of young men was in 2011, when more than 200,000 people were enlisted.
Russia runs two such campaigns every year – one in the spring and one in the autumn. Military service is compulsory and lasts one year.
Over the three years of war, the Russian government has introduced a range of measures to streamline the recruitment process, making it easier for young people to enlist, including those who had previously evaded military service. Although Russian recruits are typically not sent into active combat, Moscow has relied on financial incentives and amnesty measures to recruit civilians into the war in Ukraine, reports Kyiv Independent.
After the unpopular mobilization in September 2022, which led to over 261,000 Russians fleeing the country, Putin has avoided a new large-scale recruitment wave, instead turning to alternative methods to reinforce military forces.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
