‘It smells like a major war’

Russian lawmakers rush through amendments to increase troop numbers

On July 25, the day before the end of the Russian State Duma’s summer session, lawmakers passed a series of bills that would significantly tighten the laws governing military service in the country. Many of the amendments were published just hours before they went to a vote. One of the authors of some of the strictest measures, Defense Committee chairman Andrey Kartapolov, justified his proposals by saying the law was “written for a major war, for general mobilization,” adding that “the smell of this big war is already in the air.”

Here’s an overview of the changes:

• The maximum conscription age will be raised from 27 to 30. The minimum age will remain at 18, despite an earlier proposal that it be raised to 21.
• Russians who are drafted during mobilization drives or conscripted for regular mandatory military service will be prohibited from leaving the country from the time they receive a summons. When the country’s digital registry of military summonses begins operating, conscripts and draftees will be banned from going abroad from the moment their summons appears online, despite earlier legislation providing for a seven-day window before a summons was to be considered served.
• The fines for failing to report to a recruitment office after receiving a summons will increase significantly. Conscripts and draftees who fail to show up will now face fines between 10,000 and 30,000 rubles ($110–$330), whereas earlier fines ranged from 500 to 3,000 rubles ($5–$33). The fines for failing to inform the military authorities of changes to one’s personal information, absence from one’s official residence for more than three months, and trips abroad lasting more than six months will also increase.
• Regional governors will now be allowed to create paramilitary companies at Putin’s request. These formations’ official role will be to assist state security forces in “defending the public order,” “protecting the borders,” and “fighting against saboteurs.” Their employees will receive small arms with ammunition and will be considered equal to official security personnel.
• Medical and educational organizations will now be required to provide recruitment offices with all of the information about citizens deemed necessary for military record keeping.
• The Defense Ministry will be allowed to sign short-term contracts with conscripts and reserve soldiers for periods lasting from several months to a year.