A year in boots: military conscription in Russia may become year-round

The State Duma is preparing to consider a bill that proposes to radically change the procedure for conscription in Russia. In particular, it is proposed to make some of the recruitment activities year-round. The initiative is designed to reduce the burden on military enlistment offices, improve the quality of selection and make the process more flexible and convenient for the recruits themselves. For more information about how the new conscription system is expected to work and when the law may come into force, see the Izvestia article.

The year-round conscription system: what is it, how will it work

A bill has been submitted to the State Duma suggesting a transition from the traditional conscription system to a year-round model. It is proposed to amend the federal law "On Military Duty and Military Service" and Article 11 of the law "On Alternative Civil Service".

The document proposes to extend the terms of a number of draft events: medical examinations, psychological selection and meetings of draft commissions will, according to the initiative, take place continuously throughout the calendar year, and not only in strictly limited periods. At the same time, in fact, the bulk of conscripts to duty stations will continue to be from April 1 to July 15 and from October 1 to December 31.

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According to the authors of the bill, the new year-round conscription procedure will evenly distribute the burden on military enlistment offices, reduce queues and improve the quality of citizens' selection for military service, including repeated calls of citizens to military enlistment offices. It is noted that the new model will help to recruit troops more efficiently, minimizing disruptions related to the seasonality of events.

In addition, the bill is aimed at automating many procedures and strengthening control over the observance of service life. The document reflects measures to improve cooperation between regional draft commissions and federal structures, which is designed to increase transparency and legality of conscription. If the amendments are approved, the changes will take effect on January 1, 2026.

What is the time frame for military conscription in 2025?

In Russia, conscription is traditionally carried out twice a year — in spring and autumn. In 2025, the spring draft started on April 1 and ended on July 15. The autumn one is scheduled for the period from October 1 to December 31. It is at this time that conscripts go through all the activities and are sent directly to their places of service.

The draft includes a set of measures and begins with the appearance of the received summons to the military enlistment office. Then the young people undergo a medical examination and professional psychological selection. After that, the draft board decides on the suitability for service and clarifies the distribution by branch of the armed forces, taking into account health, education and professional skills.

According to the federal law "On Military Duty and Military Service," men aged 18 to 30 years old are currently subject to conscription. This provision came into force on January 1, 2024, following relevant legislative changes that expanded the age limit from the previous 27 years. The age increase was adopted as part of comprehensive changes aimed at strengthening the country's defense capability and expanding the personnel reserve of the Armed Forces.

It is also important to note that in 2025, control over the execution of decisions of draft commissions increased: on July 7, a law came into force providing for fines from 10 to 20 thousand rubles for failure to inform the military enlistment office about a change of residence. Similar liability measures apply for failure to appear at the military enlistment office within the prescribed period when moving to a new place of residence without confirmed registration.

Who is exempt from military service

There are various reasons why citizens who are subject to conscription may be released from service or receive a postponement.

First of all, persons who are recognized by the medical commission as unfit for military service or of limited fitness are released. These categories include citizens with chronic illnesses, serious physical or mental disabilities, as well as temporary medical contraindications. In these cases, the conscript is either completely discharged from service or sent to alternative civilian service.

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Family circumstances play a significant role in determining the right to release. Thus, men who are the sole breadwinners of a family with disabled children or who are raising a child under the age of three are exempt from service if the other parent is absent or shirks his duties. Benefits are also provided for fathers with two or more minor children.

Study becomes the basis for postponement or exemption in the case of full-time education in educational institutions before reaching a certain age, which applies to students of colleges, technical schools and universities. The law also takes into account professional characteristics — for example, representatives of religious denominations who are eligible for alternative service, and persons with military service experience or contract employees may be released in accordance with applicable regulations.

All appeals for release are considered by draft commissions individually, with mandatory confirmation of medical reports and documents confirming family or social status. In case of refusal, the conscript has the right to appeal the decision in court.