Putin orders 135,000 conscripts in largest fall draft since 2016 despite heavy losses in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the conscription of 135,000 men, the biggest autumn draft in nearly a decade. The decree, reported by state news agency TASS, mandates citizens aged 18 to 30 who are not in the reserve to serve between October and December.
Officials have promised the new conscripts will not be sent to the frontlines in Ukraine, though Kyiv has repeatedly claimed captured soldiers were conscripts. Russia typically conducts bi-annual drafts, with about 133,000 men enlisted last fall. Earlier this year, the spring draft brought in 160,000 recruits.
The order also requires federal agencies and subordinate organizations to help coordinate recruitment. Moscow aims to expand its army to 1.5 million active personnel by 2026, up from about 1 million.
Analysts say the push comes as Russia continues to suffer heavy casualties in Ukraine. A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated nearly 1 million Russian casualties since 2022, with about a quarter killed in action.
The Kremlin is now preparing to replace the bi-annual draft with a year-round system to meet its expansion goals.