The State Duma, the lower chamber of Russia’s parliament, has passed a bill regarding electronic military draft papers, which aims to crack down on individuals who avoid military service. On Tuesday, the legislation was rapidly approved with near unanimity. Last year, President Vladimir Putin’s call for conscription to boost regular forces in Ukraine prompted an exodus, with tens of thousands seeking to leave the country. Observers suggest that the new bill will make dodging the draft and fleeing more difficult. However, even some lawmakers who support the Kremlin criticized the rushed and secretive nature of the legislation’s adoption.
At present, the conscription process involves physically delivering paper summons to potential conscripts at their registered address or place of work, which they have to sign for in person. Recruiters have encountered challenges in delivering summons to the correct address.
Under the proposed new system, potential conscripts would receive their summons electronically to their personal account on the main government portal. As part of an effort to make it more difficult for men to avoid being drafted and to catch those who do, the authorities will now consider the summons delivered as soon as they receive it electronically. Men who fail to respond to the electronic summons will be immediately barred from leaving the country. However, some critics fear that this could result in more people being drafted, causing more suffering.
Some lawmakers criticized the legislation for being rushed and secretive. The provisions could also impact Russians who have fled the country, by barring them from continuing to have remote jobs or selling property. Last year, in violation of legislation, many Russians complained about being drafted and sent to the front in Ukraine. The new rules will apply not only to young conscripts but also to all men liable for military service. The Kremlin spokesman denied plans to conduct a second wave of mobilization, stating that they needed the new amendments to “perfect and modernize” the military call-up system.
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