US president says international criminal court’s warrant ‘makes a very strong point’ while Moscow rejects move as ‘meaningless’
- Russia-Ukraine war: what we know on day 388 of the invasion
Russia will probably introduce wider conscription to boost its military requirements, the UK Ministry of Defence says.
In its latest intelligence update, the ministry said that deputies in the Russian Duma on on Monday introduced a bill to change the conscription age for men to 21-30, from the current 18-27. The law would likely be passed, it said, and come into force in January 2024.
The Russian authorities are likely preparing to facilitate wider military conscription to resource its military requirements.
… Many 18-21 year old men currently claim exemption from the draft due to being in higher education. The authorities are highly likely changing the age bracket to bolster troop numbers by ensuring that students are eventually forced to serve.
Even if Russia continues to refrain from deploying conscripts in the war, extra conscripts will free up a greater proportion of professional soldiers to fight.
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