Overview

• A presidential decree published on September 29 orders the conscription of 135,000 men aged 18 to 30 for service from October 1 through December 31, 2025.
• The Defense Ministry says the draft is unrelated to the war in Ukraine and that conscripts will serve only within Russian territory.
• Independent reporting describes pressure on conscripts to sign contracts that enable deployment outside Russia, including promises of higher pay, social benefits, and administrative leverage on families, universities, or employers.
• A law signed on March 20 requires residents of Russian-occupied areas to formalize their status or leave, and those compelled to take Russian passports become eligible for conscription, a practice reports note would violate the Geneva Conventions if enforced.
• Recruitment targets on occupied Crimea are reportedly lagging at 963 of 1,636 for the year, or 59 percent, figures that have not been independently verified.