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Russia Moves to Enable Year-Round Draft Amid Soaring War Death Toll
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
![Photo of Tetiana Frolova]( "Photo of Tetiana Frolova")
Russia is considering a major overhaul of its conscription system that would allow for continuous draft procedures year-round, as the country grapples with unprecedented military losses in Ukraine, according to the proposed legislative changes, introduced by the head of the Russian Parliament’s Defense Committee on July 22.
Those changes would authorize medical examinations, psychological screenings, and draft board sessions to take place from January 1 to December 31.
However, new conscripts would still be dispatched to their military units during two fixed periods: April 1 to July 15 and October 1 to December 31, according to a presidential decree that will specify both units and quotas.
The draft law is expected to be reviewed in the fall session of the State Duma , which ends its current session on July 23.
The reform also introduces a new obligation: any eligible male who loses their draft deferment or fails to receive a summons before the dispatch period must report to the military enlistment office within two weeks of that period beginning.
An explanatory note attached to the bill argues that the current draft model—conducted twice a year in compressed timeframes—places excessive strain on draft boards, medical staff, and military facilities. Proponents claim a year-round system would more evenly distribute resources and improve the overall efficiency of conscription.
Backers of the initiative also believe the change would enhance the quality of medical and psychological evaluations of conscripts.
The legislative push is part of Russia’s broader effort to tighten control over its conscription and mobilization systems.
In recent months, Moscow has ramped up legal mechanisms to expand and enforce military service, including laws aimed at increasing penalties for draft evasion and streamlining digital summons.
The move comes amid staggering Russian battlefield losses. According to the UK’s defense ministry, Russia has suffered approximately 240,000 troops killed or wounded since the start of 2025 alone.
Earlier, reports emerged that Russia’s 41st Combined Arms Army has suffered catastrophic losses in Ukraine, with half its troops either killed or missing and the other half either deserted or criminally prosecuted.
