Russia 'failing to insulate' population from Ukraine war as Moscow look for rapid military drafting
Russian authorities are trying to change legislation to allow for more men to be "rapidly drafted into the military", the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has said.
In the latest intelligence update, the MOD said Russia had increased the maximum age of liability for conscription "from 27 to 30, while retaining the current lower limit at 18" in mid-July.
"While conscripts are not currently deployed in Ukraine, extra draftees free-up professional and mobilised soldiers from other duties inside Russia," the MOD said.
"On 24 July 2023, President Putin signed a bill which will gradually increase the upper age limit for those liable for call up as reservists: senior officers can now be mobilised up to 70.
"Reservists made up the Autumn 2022 'partial mobilisation' and could provide a more immediate boost to the number available to fight in Ukraine.
The MOD added Russia's "failure to insulate the population from the war" are highlighted by "drone attacks on Moscow, exceptional level of domestic repression, and the recent Wagner mutiny".
In March this year, the MOD said Russia was seeking to change its age criteria and introduce "wider military conscription".
In a defence intelligence update, the MOD said Russian parliamentarians had "introduced a bill to change the age bracket for conscription to men aged 21-30 years, from the current 18-27".
They added that the law was "likely to be passed and would come into force in January 2024."
More recently, Vladimir Putin announced Russia would receive 30 new naval ships this year.
He made the announcement during Russia's annual Navy Day parade in St Petersburg, which saw him review a parade of warships and nuclear submarines.
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