Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree calling for the year-round conscription of 261,000 citizens aged 18 to 30 in 2026. The decision comes amid a prolonged war and high losses in the Russian army in Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.
Officially, this is intended to “improve the quality of conscription,” but human rights activists point out that the Kremlin is effectively creating a permanent mechanism for replenishing the army.
Largest draft since 2016
In 2025, the autumn draft became the largest in nine years, with 135,000 people conscripted into the Russian Armed Forces. In November, Putin also signed laws allowing for:
- Virtually continuous conscription of citizens
- Deployment of reservists to guard “critically important facilities.”
Legal protection from international courts
A separate law was signed prohibiting Russia from executing decisions of foreign or international criminal courts, if their jurisdiction:
- Is not based on a Russian international treaty, or
- Is not confirmed by a UN Security Council resolution
Russia has a veto right in the UN Security Council. This effectively allows the Kremlin to avoid accountability for war crimes and other violations during the war, says Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation.
In this way, Russia is simultaneously massively replenishing its army and institutionalizing immunity from international law. This again confirms that the Kremlin is not preparing to end the war, but is instead consolidating a regime of permanent mobilization and impunity.
