Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a decree calling up 135,000 men for routine military service, marking the country’s largest autumn draft since 2016.
Under Russian law, men aged 18 to 30 are required to complete a year of military service, with conscription drives taking place every spring and autumn. The newly drafted conscripts are expected to serve at bases within Russia, not in Ukraine — though reports in recent years have indicated that some conscripts have been sent to the front lines despite official assurances.
The Kremlin stressed that the conscription campaign is separate from wartime mobilization, which involves drafting men specifically to fight. However, those who complete their mandatory service may be more likely to be called up in the event of future mobilizations.
This year’s autumn draft, running from October 1 to December 31, 2025, follows a spring campaign that enlisted 160,000 men, making 2025 the largest year for conscription since 2016. Russia generally calls up more recruits in the spring, coinciding with graduation season.
Since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has placed Russia on a de facto war footing — boosting defense spending to Soviet-era levels and steadily expanding the size of the armed forces.
In September 2024, he ordered the expansion of the military to 1.5 million active personnel, making it one of the largest standing armies in the world. Moscow has also increased the annual conscription quota by around five percent each year since 2022.
