Putin Orders 135,000 for Russia’s Largest Autumn Draft Since 2016

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the conscription of 135,000 men for routine military service, marking the country’s largest autumn draft since 2016.

Each year, Russia drafts men aged 18 to 30 for compulsory service in the spring and autumn. Conscripts typically serve for one year at military bases inside Russia, rather than being sent to fight in Ukraine, although some reports indicate conscripted men have been deployed to the front line.

Annual conscription campaigns are distinct from wartime mobilisations, in which men are drafted to fight. However, conscripts who have completed military training are more likely to be called up in future conflicts.

Putin’s decree stated the conscription period would run from October 1 to December 31, 2025. Combined with the 160,000 men drafted in the spring, 2025 will see the highest total call-up since 2016. Spring drafts are usually larger, coinciding with school and college graduations.

Since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has maintained Russia on a war footing, increasing military spending to levels not seen since the Soviet era and expanding the army. Annual conscription drives have grown by around five percent each year since 2022.

In September 2024, Putin also ordered the military to expand to 1.5 million active personnel, placing Russia among the world’s largest armies.