Russia’s 2025 Autumn Military Draft: 135,000 Conscripts and Future Year-Round Service

On September 29, 2025, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin signed a decree regulating the autumn draft for service in the Russian Armed Forces. The official text of the document is posted on the Russian Legal Information Portal.

According to the decree, 135,000 young people aged 18 to 30 are planned to be drafted into the army. The recruitment campaign will begin on October 1 and run until December 31.

In September, the State Duma approved in the first reading a bill that envisions conscription throughout the year. If it is passed in full, from 2026 draft boards will operate continuously, but sending draftees to the army will occur according to a predetermined schedule – twice a year: from April 1 to July 15 and from October 1 to December 31.

In June 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that about 695 thousand Russian servicemen were on Ukrainian territory.

Key Provisions of the Autumn Draft and Legislative Changes

The decree provides for the draft of 135 thousand conscripts into the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces as part of the autumn draft. The age category covers young people from 18 to 30, in line with the general practice of previous years. The text of the document is officially published, ensuring transparency of the conscription campaign and planning of the army’s resources.

The Future of Conscription Through Legislation

If the bill is passed in full, from 2026 the draft boards will operate without interruption, and sending conscripts to the ranks will again be carried out according to a predefined schedule – two waves per year: from April 1 to July 15 and from October 1 to December 31. These changes are intended to make the process more predictable and structured for the country’s military needs.

Context of Events in the Region

In the context of the war in the region, there is a publicly noted rise in mobilization measures and military activity. When considering estimates of the number of Russian troops on Ukrainian territory, they emphasize the scale of operational actions and the impact of conscription processes on regional security.

Such steps of conscription and possible changes in legislation indicate a strengthening of Russia’s mobilization posture and have implications for the region’s security dynamics and political calculations.