Russia raises maximum military service age to 30 amid Ukraine war

Russian lawmakers have approved legislation that raises the maximum age limit for compulsory military service to 30. The decision comes amid the ongoing Ukraine offensive by the Kremlin, as Moscow seeks to bolster its forces on the front line without resorting to another unpopular mobilisation, which was implemented last September.

Also read: Russian fighter jet deploys flares near US MQ-9 Reaper drone, damages UAV (WATCH)

Starting January 1, 2024, the new law will call up citizens aged 18 to 30 for military service, replacing the previous age limit of 18 to 27. The bill has passed its second and third readings in the lower house of parliament and will now proceed to the upper chamber for approval. It is then expected to be signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, a step seen as a formality.

"From January 1, 2024, citizens aged 18 to 30 will be called up for military service," the lower house of parliament said after the bill was passed in a second and third reading.

The legislation also includes a provision that prohibits conscripts from leaving the country once they receive their draft notice from the enlistment office. This measure is aimed at ensuring the availability of manpower for military service.

Initially, the lawmakers considered gradually shifting the conscription age to between 21 and 30. However, they dropped this proposal due to concerns about the country's serious demographic situation and its impact on the mobilisation resource, according to Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Duma's defence affairs committee.

In addition to the changes in the conscription age, the Duma has also passed a bill that significantly increases fines for those who fail to report to the enlistment office after receiving a draft notice. The fines will be raised to up to 30,000 rubles (around $330) when the law takes effect on October 1, a considerable increase from the current maximum fine of 3,000 rubles.

Also read: Hitler in shorts! Vladimir Putin trolled over length of his pants during meeting with ally Lukashenko

Last autumn, tens of thousands of men fled Russia following President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a mobilisation of 300,000 reservists to support Moscow's forces in Ukraine. To further facilitate the mobilisation of Russians into the army, in April, Russian lawmakers adopted a law that introduced a digital conscription notice system. The system allows call-up papers to be served online, eliminating the need for in-person notifications.

• Russia
• Ukraine
• Vladimir Putin