Russia has raised the age of conscription for the compulsory one-year military service from 27 to 30 years as it sought to replenish forces on the frontline in Ukraine. The lower house of the Russian parliament voted for the same and the law also bars conscripts from leaving the country once the enlistment office has sent the draft notice, the Guardian reported.
This comes as Russia tried to avoid another call for mobilisation like last year which was not received well by the majority as the issue of conscruption remains a senstive topic for the country.
“From January 1, 2024, citizens aged 18 to 30 will be called up for military service,” the lower house of parliament was quoted as saying by the Guardian after the bill was passed.
The bill still remains to be approved by the upper chamber and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.
Previously, one year of military service was mandatory in Russia for men aged 18 to 27 with conscription carried out twice a year. Lawmakers also said the initial proposal to gradually shift the conscription age to between 21 and 30 was dropped, the report said.
Russia Accuses Ukraine Of Launching 'Terrorist' Drone Attack On Moscow
Russia on Monday accused Ukraine of launching a ‘terrorist’ drone attack that damaged at least two buildings in the capital Moscow early on Monday morning. The Russian defence ministry said two drones were "suppressed and crashed", adding that there were no casualties. Media reported that the debris was found not far from the defence ministry's buildings.
Russian news agencies while citing emergency services reported that the drone fragments were found near a building on the Komsomolsky Avenue, which runs through central Moscow. The said site was around 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) away from the defence ministry's buildings. The reports added that after the attack, traffic was closed on Komsomolsky Avenue as well as on Likhachev Avenue in Moscow's south, where a high-rise office building was damaged.