Russian Conscription Overhaul: Age Increase, Year‑Round Recruitment & Fewer Exemptions

Date: July 23, 2025

📌 Key Changes to Russian Conscription in 2025

• Age range expanded: Men aged 18–30 are now subject to mandatory service, increased from the previous cap of 27.
• Year-round procedures: Draft support activities like medical checks and psychological assessments may run continuously, not just during spring and autumn conscription windows.
• Reduced exemptions: The government plans to cut medical and other exemption rates from approximately 30% to 17.5% by 2030 and 16% by 2036.

📡 Spring 2025 Draft: 160,000 Draftees

The spring 2025 call-up (April 1 – July 15) aims to conscript around 160,000 men aged 18–30, the largest mobilisation since 2011. Russian authorities insist these conscripts will not be sent to Ukraine, though observers and some captured soldiers dispute this.

🏥 Year‑Round Conscription Proposal

State Duma members have introduced legislation that would spread enlistment procedures—such as health checks, psychological screenings, and documentation—across the full year. Although active deployments will still occur in spring and autumn, this change is intended to ease pressure on recruitment offices and improve readiness.

⚠️ Draft Exemption Reforms

As part of its long-term military build-up, the Russian government is aiming to reduce the number of individuals exempt from service. The current medical exemption rate of ~30% will be gradually reduced to 17.5% by 2030, with further reductions planned by 2036.

🔐 Enforcement Tactics & Criticism

Human rights groups report that Russian authorities have conducted aggressive conscription sweeps in gyms, shopping centres, and metro stations. Some draftees were taken without proper legal summons, raising concerns about civil liberties and procedural violations.

🌐 Strategic & Military Context

The conscription reforms are part of a broader Kremlin plan to increase the size of the Russian armed forces to 1.5 million by 2026. Additional changes include digital draft notices through the Gosuslugi portal, automatic restrictions on draft dodgers, and enhanced centralised tracking through a unified military register.

📅 What Comes Next

The proposed bill for year-round conscription processing is expected to pass in the State Duma, with implementation scheduled for January 1, 2026. Meanwhile, new exemption standards and enforcement protocols are under review and likely to be finalised before the autumn 2025 call-up.

📌 Summary

⚙️ Part of Russia’s broader military expansion strategy through 2030

📈 Expanded draft age range (18–30)

🔄 Year-round preparation for medical and psychological evaluations

✂️ Significant reductions in exemption eligibility

🚨 Reports of aggressive recruitment tactics and legal concerns