Overview

• A presidential decree sets the autumn 2025 conscription from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 for 135,000 men aged 18 to 30.
• Combined with 160,000 conscripted in spring, 2025 becomes the biggest total draft year since 2016.
• Officials say conscripts serve inside Russia and are not sent to combat in Ukraine, while independent reports and Ukrainian claims describe pressure to sign contracts and cases of conscripts at the front.
• The State Duma has passed in a first reading a bill enabling year-round conscription starting in 2026 if adopted.
• The expanded intake aligns with Putin’s plan to grow active personnel to about 1.5 million, alongside broader reliance on contract soldiers.