Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the conscription of 160,000 men aged 18 to 30 for mandatory military service, marking the country's largest draft since 2011, as Moscow seeks to expand its armed forces amid continued fighting in Ukraine. The spring call-up, scheduled between April and July, comes just months after Putin pledged to increase Russia's overall military size to nearly 2.39 million personnel, with 1.5 million active-duty troops — an increase of 180,000 over three years. Vice Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky said the newly conscripted men would not be sent to the frontlines in Ukraine, part of what Russia still officially terms its "special military operation." However, independent reports have documented conscripts being deployed to border areas and, earlier in the war, into Ukraine itself. Some have reportedly been killed in combat. This year's draft exceeds last spring's intake by 10,000, following a law change that raised the maximum draft age from 27 to 30. In addition to physical draft notices, call-ups will also be issued through the government's digital services platform, Gosuslugi. Russia traditionally conducts two drafts annually — in spring and autumn — but has also been heavily reliant on contract soldiers and foreign recruits to replenish its ranks. Thousands of North Korean fighters are reported to have been enlisted, and contract recruitment efforts have intensified in the wake of significant battlefield losses in Ukraine. More than 100,000 Russian military deaths in Ukraine have been verified by independent outlets including the BBC and Mediazona. However, analysts estimate the actual figure may be much higher. The call-up comes as US-brokered ceasefire efforts struggle to hold. On Tuesday, Ukraine reported a Russian strike on a power facility in Kherson that left 45,000 residents without electricity. Russia also claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region. Putin has scaled up Russia's military size three times since February 2022. In December 2023, the Kremlin linked troop increases to rising threats from NATO and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia's invasion has prompted NATO's expansion to include Finland and Sweden. In a related move, Finland announced Tuesday it would withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines, citing defense concerns due to Russia. Poland and the Baltic states have already declared similar intentions. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the decision was based on military recommendations and assured citizens there was no cause for alarm. Finland also said it will raise its defense spending to 3% of GDP, up from 2.4% last year. — Agencies
