2023 Russian Spring Conscription Campaign Begins In Russia

On April 1, spring conscription begins in Russia. Young men from the age of 18 will go to military service in different regions of the country.

When will the spring conscription start – 2023, hotline

The call-up campaign starts annually on April 1 and lasts until July 15. For residents of the Far North, as well as for teachers, the conscription period begins a month later – on May 1. How many people are planned to be called up for service in 2023 is still unknown, the figure will be indicated in the decree of the President of the Russian Federation. Last year, such a decree was published on March 31. It should be noted that 134.5 thousand recruits were called up for the spring campaign of 2022, and only 120 thousand people were called up in the fall of 2022.

After the start of the campaign, the Russians will be able to get all the information about the call-up by calling the hotline 122. You can call it from both landlines and mobile phones. All calls are free.

Who falls under the spring draft – 2023, will the age increase

Despite plans to increase the age of conscripts in the near future, in the spring of 2023, it is still planned to send young people aged 18–27 to the service. All potential recruits will be required to undergo a medical examination. A gradual increase in the draft age to 21–30 years will not occur until autumn. The Ministry of Defense also plans to gradually increase the size of the Armed Forces from the current one million to 1.5 million people. Of these, almost half – 695 thousand people – should be contract soldiers.

How long to serve those called up in the spring of 2023, will the term of service be extended to two years?

Military service lasts 12 months, called up in the spring and summer of 2023 will return home in the spring and summer of 2024. At the same time, in November, State Duma deputies raised the issue of increasing military service to two years, but no orders were issued from the Ministry of Defense. The Federation Council questioned the need to return two years of service.

According to Andrey Klishas, the head of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, the army’s combat readiness largely depends on the number of contractors (which they plan to increase). And conscription service is unlikely to noticeably affect the quality of the troops.

Who will receive a deferral and exemption from the army in the spring of 2023

Those young people who have diseases and waivers for health reasons will not be recognized as fit for military service, in particular:

• heart disease, ischemia, pressure above 150 to 90;
• myopia more than minus 6 diopters, cataracts or glaucoma, as well as retinal detachment;
• chronic otitis or complete deafness;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: hernia, pancreatitis, ulcer, hemorrhoids;
• chronic enuresis;
• scoliosis of the second degree with a deformity of more than 11 degrees;
• flat feet of the third degree;
• obesity above the second degree;
• HIV or hepatitis;
• tuberculosis;
• oncology;
• mental illness;
• stuttering, in which speech is largely distorted

A deferment from conscription, according to the law, will be received by:

• full-time university and postgraduate students;
• IT specialists – employees of companies with appropriate accreditation, the application had to be submitted in the fall of 2022 at the State Services;
• fathers of two or more minor children who are married;
• raising a child with a disability under the age of three;
• single fathers;
• who are officially married to a woman who is at least 26 weeks pregnant;
• caring for infirm relatives;
• guardians of elderly parents

Where recruits will serve in 2023: which troops, which regions, the NVO zone and scientific companies

During the preparation of the autumn conscription – 2022, the command reported that it was not planned to involve recruits in the special military operation. They will be sent to military units in other regions of the country. This information was also confirmed by a representative of the Main Organizational and Mobilization Directorate of the Russian General Staff, Rear Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky. According to him, conscripts will be sent to educational and military units strictly on the territory of various regions of Russia, except for new regions.

The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that the principles and methods of training conscript soldiers are constantly being improved and can be adjusted taking into account the experience of the SVO, as well as due to the emergence of new types of weapons and equipment. After the medical examination, recruits will be distributed among different troops.

These can be the Ground Forces, the Aerospace Forces, the Navy, the Strategic Missile Forces, the Airborne Forces. For those who managed to complete a DOSAAF training course during their school years or have a driver’s license, the chances of getting into their preferred branch of service are much higher.

In addition to the basic ones, 17 scientific companies have been created in the RF Armed Forces, eight of which are part of the Era Military Innovation Technopolis, there are also four research and production companies and five sports companies. To get into a scientific company, a conscript must be a student or have a higher education in the specialties of interest to the Russian Ministry of Defense with an average score of 4.5 or more.

Also, Russians who have received presidential or government scholarships, winners of competitions and olympiads, and authors of scientific publications can apply for service in scientific or sports companies.

In addition, recruits can perform an alternative service – representatives of indigenous peoples, as well as all Russians for religious or ethical convictions, can apply for it.

How to get into contract service

It is planned that military service under the contract will become available to everyone from the first day of conscription. At the same time, all contract recruits in the first four months or more will study their military specialty and only then go to the places of military service. The new rules have not yet been approved, but the State Duma believes that they can be adopted as early as 2023.

Today, only graduates of universities and colleges can serve under a contract from the first day, and yesterday’s schoolchildren must spend three months in military service. These rules also apply to those who will be called up in the spring of 2023.

What to do if a summons arrives

According to Law No. 53 “On military duty and military service”, the summons must be handed over in person and against signature. It indicates the date and address where the conscript should appear. The document is issued either by an employee of the military registration and enlistment office, or by the head or authorized representative of the organization at the place of work or study.

When handing over the summons, the employee of the military registration and enlistment office must introduce himself and, upon request, present his documents. The citizen who received the summons signs it, and the spine is subject to return to the military commissariat.

If a relative, neighbor or other unauthorized person signed for the receipt of the summons, it has no legal force. When the delivery of the summons is impossible, for example, a person is absent at the place of registration, the military commissar must send a written request to the internal affairs bodies with a request to ensure the appearance of the conscript.