Russia calls up 135,000 conscripts as experts warn nation is preparing for more war
By isabelle // 2025-10-01
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  • Putin orders Russia's largest fall conscription since 2016.
  • The draft calls up 135,000 men aged 18 to 30 starting in October.
  • Officials claim conscripts will not be sent to fight in Ukraine.
  • This occurs alongside new laws enabling year-round draft cycles.
  • Record defense spending signals preparation for prolonged conflict.
As autumn begins, a familiar chill of mobilization is sweeping across Russia, signaling a dangerous escalation in global tensions. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Monday ordering Russia's largest fall conscription since 2016, calling up 135,000 men aged 18-30 for one year of mandatory military service from October 1 through December 31. This massive draft, occurring alongside belligerent warnings from Russian diplomats and fundamental changes to conscription laws, paints a clear picture of a nation preparing not for peace, but for prolonged conflict.

The Kremlin's assurances

The Kremlin has been quick to offer assurances about the fate of these young conscripts. Officials insist that those called up will not be sent to the frontlines in Ukraine. According to reports, Vladimir Tsimlyansky, head of the Russian General Staff’s mobilization department, has insisted that the conscripted soldiers will not be deployed to the forces currently invading Ukraine. This is a promise Moscow has been previously accused of breaking, and many observers remain skeptical of such claims given the immense personnel losses Russia has sustained. This latest draft is part of a consistent pattern of military expansion. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the Russian military has averaged about 127,000 new conscripts every fall. The current order for 135,000 represents a significant increase. Furthermore, earlier this year, Russia recruited 160,000 soldiers during the spring draft cycle, the highest intake since 2011. These numbers are not arbitrary; they are part of Putin’s explicit demand that the Russian military expand to a force of 1.5 million active personnel by 2026.

A system built for war

The conscription decree did not occur in a vacuum. It comes just days after the Russian parliament passed legislation eliminating the bi-annual conscription cycles and replacing them with a year-round draft. This fundamental shift in policy is designed to create a constant pipeline of fresh recruits into the military, bolstering Russia’s capacity for a long-term, high-intensity conflict. The system is being rebuilt for perpetual war, not a temporary engagement. Simultaneously, the diplomatic rhetoric from Moscow has grown increasingly hostile. Last week, Russian Ambassador to France Alexey Meshkov issued a stark warning to NATO. He declared that if NATO forces shot down Russian aircraft in allied airspace, "a war will ensue." This threat underscores the dangerously heightened state of alert and the Kremlin’s willingness to escalate confrontations with the West. The financial commitment to this war machine is equally telling. A draft Russian government budget reveals plans for immense defense spending through 2028. According to reports, 13 trillion rubles ($157 billion) has been proposed for defense in 2026. Alexander Kokcharov, a geoeconomics analyst for Bloomberg Economics, told Newsweek that this high military spending suggests that Russia is not preparing for peace, but rather is preparing for more fighting on the battlefield in Ukraine. This analysis cuts to the heart of the matter. The combination of mass conscription, legislative overhaul for permanent drafting, aggressive diplomatic posturing, and sustained record-breaking military budgets forms an undeniable pattern. These are not the actions of a nation seeking a diplomatic off-ramp or a negotiated settlement. They are the calculated moves of a regime digging in for a protracted struggle. The human cost of this preparation is staggering. In the more than three years since Russia mounted its assault on Ukraine, Moscow has suffered nearly 1 million casualties, according to estimates from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. This tragic loss of life underscores the brutal reality of the conflict that these new conscripts are being prepared to join, regardless of official promises. The expansion of the Russian military and the hardening of its wartime posture represent a significant threat to global stability. The sight of 135,000 young Russians being called to service, set against a backdrop of dire warnings and massive military spending, is a sobering reminder that the forces of conflict are actively mobilizing. While the world hopes for peace, the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the Kremlin is preparing for a very different future, one where the drums of war beat louder than the calls for diplomacy. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com NYPost.com Newsweek.com
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