Putin gave instructions - the recruitment of citizens for military service starts

After this decision, Russia will recruit soldiers throughout the year.

"The law proposes to change the approach to the recruitment of citizens for military service and establish that the recruitment of citizens for military service is carried out during the calendar year (from January 1 to December 31) based on the decree of the President of the Russian Federation," the explanation of the draft law states.

Russia has faced massive losses from the war in Ukraine, prompting Moscow to recruit citizens to fight in the war and attract others, including foreign fighters, with incentives such as Russian citizenship.

Currently, Russia recruits new soldiers in two waves each year, in spring and autumn.

Although the proposed change would make recruitment continuous, most recruits will be deployed in two main periods, April to July and October to December.

"The draft law was developed in accordance with the instruction of the President of the Russian Federation from June 6, 2025... and aims to improve the implementation of events related to the recruitment of citizens for military service," the document states.

The bill on recruitment was submitted to the Russian parliament, to the chairman of the Duma Defense Committee, Andrei Kartapolov, and his deputy, Andrei Krasov.

The inclusion of Kartapolov and Krasov in the draft law indicates that the Russian Ministry of Defense is behind the proposal and that it will probably be adopted, independent Russian media reported, and Kyiv Independent reported.

The current spring session of the Russian Duma ends on July 23, and the bill is expected to be adopted this fall and enter into force on January 1, 2026, media reported.

"It is also proposed to send citizens to places of military service based on the decree of the President of the Russian Federation," the explanation of the draft law states.

The Ukrainian military claims that as of today, Russia has lost 1,045,220 soldiers in Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

Russia, on the other hand, has never confirmed or stated the number of Russian victims, but the independent house Meduza has announced that 119,154 dead Russian soldiers have been identified.