In a significant development aimed at bolstering its armed forces, Russian lawmakers approved a bill on Tuesday that will make military conscription a year-round process rather than limiting it to the traditional spring and fall periods. The legislation, passed by the State Duma in its third and final reading, is part of Moscow’s ongoing effort to maintain troop numbers as the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year.

Once the bill clears the Federation Council and is signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, Russian conscription offices will be empowered to summon potential draftees for medical exams, paperwork, and processing at any time of the year. While the new legislation formalizes year-round conscription, conscripts will still begin active military service during the usual spring and summer months.

Streamlining Military Recruitment

The authors of the bill argue that this reform will ease the administrative burden on conscription offices and streamline the process of evaluating and assigning young men to different branches of the Russian military. Currently, all Russian men aged 18 to 30 are legally required to serve one year in the armed forces, though many avoid conscription through deferments granted to students, individuals with chronic illnesses, and other exceptions.

During traditional conscription periods, between 130,000 and 160,000 draftees are called up in each cycle. While Russian officials insist that draftees are not sent to the frontlines in Ukraine, relying instead on volunteers and mobilized reservists, reports from human rights groups suggest that authorities have pressured some conscripts into signing volunteer contracts.

Military Expansion Amid Prolonged Conflict

Russia’s army, which numbered around 1 million troops when Putin launched operations in Ukraine in February 2022, has gradually grown over the past three years. In 2024, Putin expanded active personnel by 180,000, bringing the total to 1.5 million. Current reports indicate over 700,000 troops are engaged in Ukraine.

To combat draft evasion, Russian authorities introduced an electronic conscription registry, allowing online summonses. Additional legal measures penalize those who ignore summonses, including bank account restrictions, suspended driver’s licenses, and bans on foreign travel.

During the early stages of the war, a partial mobilization of 300,000 reservists was ordered in 2022, prompting widespread dissent and an exodus of young men fleeing abroad to avoid service. Subsequently, the Kremlin shifted its focus to incentivizing volunteers with higher wages and benefits, leading to approximately 440,000 volunteers joining in 2024 and 336,000 in 2025.

Russia’s Ongoing Military Strategy

Despite setbacks on the battlefield, Putin has resisted international calls for a ceasefire and continues to demand Ukraine withdraw from the four annexed regions that Russia has not fully secured. Western allies, including the United States and European countries, have rejected Moscow’s maximalist demands, further intensifying the protracted conflict.

The move to year-round conscription signals the Kremlin’s intent to maintain a steady supply of personnel, even as voluntary enlistment remains the preferred mechanism for increasing troop numbers. Analysts suggest that this reform reflects the strain on Russia’s military infrastructure and highlights the long-term challenges the country faces in sustaining operations in Ukraine