President Vladimir Putin has signed a law enabling people over 40 to enlist for the armed forces. They are expected to be people of normal working age.Previously the army had age limits of 18-40 years for Russians and 18-30 for foreigners.
Russia is presenting it as a move to recruit more technical specialists. The new law says specialists are required to operate high-precision weapons and “experience shows that they become such by the age of 40-45”. More medics, engineers and communications experts may also be recruited.
Ukraine’s army has boosted its numbers through mass mobilisation since Russia invaded on 24 February. Under its current martial law, Ukraine forbids men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country. So women, children and the elderly form the vast majority of refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries.
Ukraine’s military says it is not yet conscripting women, but some can be drafted exceptionally if their skills in medicine, IT or other areas are needed. Ukraine has also recruited several thousand foreign volunteer soldiers.
Russia’s initial invasion force in February numbered about 190,000 troops, in addition to thousands of pro-Russian fighters in the Donbas region. The Kremlin launched a massive recruitment drive, offering big financial incentives. So extra troops were drafted in, especially from poor regions of Siberia and the Caucasus, including experienced Chechen fighters.
Russia has a normal limit of just over a million military personnel and almost 900,000 civilian staff – but last month President Putin signed a decree to recruit 137,000 more.
Russia plans to call up about 300,000 reservists – that is, people who have had military training and, Vladimir Putin stressed, have specialist skills needed in the Ukraine conflict. They will include many reserve officers, including some over 60, pulled in from retirement.
