A Call to Arms: Russia Institutes Draft Amid Faltering Ceasefire Negotiations

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered this week the conscription of 160,000 Russian men into the army, the largest draft initiative in more than a decade, which comes as US-brokered ceasefire talks with Ukraine flounder, Newsweek reported.

The move is part of Moscow’s spring conscription drive, with Ukrainian officials describing it as the largest one in 14 years – up from 150,000 last year and 134,500 in 2022 when the Ukraine war began, Agence France-Presse wrote.

From April 1 until July 15, Russian men between the ages of 18 to 30 years old who are called up will be required to serve in the military.

The new conscripts will not only replenish Russia’s armed forces but also replace those who have completed their service.

The Kremlin says the conscripts will not be sent to the battlefield. However, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation accused Russia of forcing new soldiers to “voluntarily” sign contracts that eventually send them into combat zones, Politico noted.

The draft’s timing and size prompted questions about Russia’s commitment to diplomacy and willingness to end the war in Ukraine.

In the draft decree, Putin also ordered Russia’s military to expand to 1.5 million active personnel by 2026 – an increase of around 180,000 troops.

Meanwhile, Kyiv has accused Moscow of dragging on the negotiations to reinforce its position on the battlefield.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alleged that Russia is preparing a large offensive to seize more land in Ukraine to “negotiate … from a stronger position.”

The new conscription order comes after years of steady military losses and concerns of draft dodging. Around 700,000 Russians reportedly left the country in 2022 after a draft order was initiated, according to the Conversation.

Meanwhile, independent Russian journalists recently confirmed the names of more than 100,000 Russian soldiers killed since Moscow began its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Even so, Ukraine says the Russian death toll is nearly 900,000 soldiers.

In contrast, Ukraine’s military losses amount to at least 46,000 killed and more than 380,000 wounded, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Neither country has ever confirmed its losses.