Moscow to begin spring military draft amid mobilisation fears

Russia will begin calling up tens of thousands of soldiers next week in a conscription drive to replenish its armed forces and build up its military reserves.

Russia will begin calling up tens of thousands of soldiers next week in a conscription drive to replenish its armed forces and build up its military reserves.

Moscow says conscripts are not sent to fight in Ukraine but the draft — which happens twice a year — comes amid persistent rumours of a new wave of mobilisation for the Ukraine offensive.

"The spring draft will be held from April 1," deputy head of the defence ministry's mobilisation department, Rear Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky, said in a briefing on March 29.

"Conscripts will not be sent to the armed forces' deployment points in the new regions of Russia — the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhzhia regions — or (be sent) to perform tasks of the special military operation," he added, using Russia's official language for its offensive against Ukraine.

Moscow unilaterally annexed the four Ukrainian regions in 2022 and has pressurised their residents to take Russian citizenship.

Some 1,47,000 conscripts were drafted during last year's spring call-ups. The Army did not say how many it was targeting this year.

Russian men aged between 18 and 30 are eligible to be called up after lawmakers increased the upper age limit from 27 last year.