Russia breaks promise to raise minimum draft age above 18
Instead, Russia is aiming to expand its conscription range from 18-27 to 18-30
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Russia will keep its minimum conscription age at 18 despite past promises to raise the limit.
A proposed bill originally supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to raise the conscription age range from 18-27 to 21-30.
Russian Defense Committee Chair Andrei Kartapolov told the press that the bill had been amended to only raise the upper age limit to 30, keeping the lower limit at 18.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MULTIPLE CASUALTIES REPORTED AS RUSSIAN ONSLAUGHT OF UKRAINE CONTINUES FOR 3RD CONSECUTIVE EVENING
Russian lawmakers attend a session at the State Duma, the Lower House of the Russian Parliament in Moscow, Russia. (The State Duma, the Lower House of the Russian Parliament via AP)
"We decided to keep the lower draft age limit at 18 years, because a lot of young men want to serve at 18," Kartapolov said.
The bill must now get a vote of approval from the nation's Federal Council before going to Putin's desk to be signed into law. It is expected to be passed and will be implemented in the 2024 call-up.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Russian government's decision to expand the age range most likely aims to curb soldier shortages across the nation's military.
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Russian soldiers march toward Red Square to attend a dress rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 7, 2023. The parade will take place at Moscow's Red Square to celebrate 78 years since the victory in WWII. (AP Photo)
Wagner Group mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has announced his intention to hold back from participating in the conflict after a falling out with Putin's government.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a video released Wednesday, Prigozhin seems to state that the mercenaries will not be participating in the invasion of Ukraine, saying, "What is going on the front line today is a shame in which we shouldn’t take part. We may return to the special military operation when we feel sure that we will not be forced to put shame on ourselves."
Prigozhin is also heard stating that the Russian paramilitary group would be moving on to combat in Africa.
Members of Wagner group inspect a car in a street of Rostov-on-Don in Russia. (Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Putin offered Wagner mercenaries a chance to serve under the same commander during a meeting just days after their mutinous June march on Moscow was thwarted.