Putin Begins Biggest Russian Militarily Call-Up In Years

Vladimir Putin has initiated a significant military call-up in Russia, enlisting 160,000 men aged 18 to 30.

This marks the largest conscription effort since 2011, as the country aims to expand its military forces. The call-up, which is part of the spring draft for a year of military service, follows Putin’s earlier announcement about increasing the overall size of the military to nearly 2.39 million, including 1.5 million active servicemen.

The current draft, taking place from April to July, occurs against the backdrop of ongoing violence, with Ukraine.

While the U.S. has attempted to negotiate a ceasefire, Russia has continued its military operations. Although Russian officials have claimed adherence to an agreement to refrain from attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, they indicated that Ukrainian drones have been involved in recent attacks.

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This year’s draft is notable for being 10,000 recruits higher than the previous spring. In response to the war, the maximum draft age has been raised from 27 to 30, and notifications for conscription are now being sent digitally through the state services website, Gosuslugi, in addition to traditional mail.

Since the onset of the war in February 2022, the size of the military has been increased threefold. The Russian defense ministry attributed the latest expansion to perceived threats from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the expansion of NATO, which has recently included Finland ,Sweden and  Poland.