President Vladimir Putin has ordered the largest conscription in Russia since 2011. A total of 160,000 men aged 18-30 have been called up for a year of military service. The draft is 10,000 higher than in the same period in 2024. Russia aims to increase the size of its military to 2.39 million, with 1.5 million active servicemen. This means 180,000 new soldiers will be added over three years.
Vice Adm Vladimir Tsimlyansky assured that the new conscripts would not be sent to fight in Ukraine. However, reports indicate that conscripts have died in fighting near Russia’s border. In the early months of the war, some conscripts were deployed in Ukraine.
The draft runs from April to July, which is the period when the US and Russia also negotiated the peace talks. Call-up notices are sent by post and through the state services website, Gosuslugi. Reports in Moscow say some call-ups were issued on April 1 via the city website mos.ru.
Apart from conscription, Russia has been recruiting large numbers of contract soldiers. It has also enlisted thousands of troops from North Korea. Moscow has faced heavy losses in Ukraine. According to the media, Over 100,000 Russian soldiers have been confirmed killed.
Putin has increased the size of the military three times since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Russia’s defence ministry said the increase is due to “growing threats” from Ukraine and NATO expansion. Since the war started, NATO has expanded to include Finland and Sweden. Finland shares a 1,343km border with Russia.
Russian Charge
Meanwhile, fighting in Ukraine has intensified. Russian forces killed 21,900 Ukrainian troops. They also destroyed 52 tanks, 338 artillery guns, 94 ammunition depots, and two multiple-launch rocket systems. Russia neutralized 63 counter-battery stations and destroyed two fuel depots and 1,100 combat vehicles.
Russia has gained more control over strategic areas. The battlefield shifted in Russia’s favour after the US reduced military aid to Ukraine. March saw a sharp rise in Ukrainian casualties, with nearly 1,800 more deaths compared to February.
Despite US and Russian efforts to reach a ceasefire, the war continues. Ukraine reported a Russian attack on a power facility in Kherson on Tuesday. The strike left 45,000 people without electricity. Russia recently agreed to stop targeting Ukraine’s energy sector. However, Moscow denied breaking the agreement. Russian officials claimed Ukraine carried out drone attacks instead.
Finland and its neighbours are responding to the threat from Russia. The Finnish government announced an increase in defence spending. It will now reach 3% of the country’s GDP, up from 2.4% last year. Finland also plans to resume using anti-personnel mines. The country follows Poland and the Baltic states, which have made similar decisions recently.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo reassured citizens. He said the decision was based on military advice. According to Orpo, the people of Finland have nothing to worry about.
As Russia expands its military and strengthens its position in Ukraine, tensions continue to rise in Europe. NATO countries are increasing their defences. Meanwhile, Russia pushes forward with its biggest military buildup in years. The coming months will be crucial in determining the next phase of the war.
After observing the recent geopolitical and military moves in Europe, one thing is quite clear: Europe is preparing for a major confrontation with Russia and Putin. The new militarization in Europe is bound to create a “Security dilemma”, a situation where a state’s efforts to increase its security lead to other states becoming less secure. This can lead to a cycle of conflict and arms race in the region.
