The State Duma (Russia’s lower chamber of parliament) has approved in the first reading a draft law that would allow military conscription activities to take place throughout the entire calendar year—from January 1 to December 31. The announcement was published on the official website of the lower house of the Russian Parliament.
The bill, previously endorsed by the Russian government, proposes significant changes to the current conscription schedule. Under the existing system, key activities such as medical examinations, psychological assessments, and conscription board meetings are limited to the spring and autumn periods. The new initiative would permit these procedures to be conducted year-round, while the actual deployment of conscripts to military units would still occur during the traditional spring and autumn call-up periods.
Andrei Kartapolov, Chair of the State Duma’s Defense Committee, stated that the reform is aimed at easing the burden on conscription commissions and improving the overall efficiency of the process. He also noted that military summonses could now be issued at any time of the year.
The legislation introduces a new obligation for eligible citizens: even in the absence of a formal draft notice, they must report to military enlistment offices within two weeks.
If passed in subsequent readings and signed into law by the president, the reform will take effect on January 1, 2026.
The proposal is part of a broader tightening of Russia’s military draft system. Previous changes include the creation of a unified registry of military-eligible citizens, the implementation of electronic summonses, and a series of penalties for failing to appear at draft offices on time.
Among the sanctions are travel bans, restrictions on vehicle and property registration, and limitations on obtaining loans or registering as self-employed.
