Unveiling Russia's Latest Move: Ukraine's Occupied Regions Face Inclusion in New Round of Conscriptions

Russia's Defense Ministry declared on Friday that this autumn, for the first time, the new round of Russian military conscription will incorporate four occupied areas in Ukraine. The ministry stated that the conscription will commence on October 1 in all regions of the Russian Federation, which includes the unlawfully annexed Ukrainian territories.

Last September, Putin announced the annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, following referendums that were widely regarded as illegitimate by Ukraine and Western nations. This came after Russia had already annexed Crimea in 2014.

During a briefing, Rear Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky, Deputy Chief of the Main Organizational and Mobilization Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces' General Staff, stated that conscription in some regions of Russia's Far North will commence on November 1, taking into account the climate differences.

The autumn conscription in all regions of Russia, except certain areas in the Far North, will start on October 1. In the Far North and related territories, conscription will begin from November 1 to December 31, taking into account the specific climate in these areas, as explained by Tsimlyansky. The conscripts are expected to depart from collection points starting on October 16, with the duration of military service remaining at 12 months, as stated by Tsimlyansky.

According to a Russian state news agency TASS, military personnel who are conscripted will not be deployed to the Donetsk and Luhansk peoples republics, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, or participate in any special military operations there. Moscow refers to these areas as "Russia's new regions" and the conscription for military service in these regions is governed by a constitutional law on admission to the Russian Federation.

The autumn 2023 conscription round will be the first to include the newly annexed territories, as stated by the law. TASS reports that there was no conscription last year and in spring 2023 for military service in these regions.

Although regular conscriptions will take place, Russia does not have any intentions to conduct further mobilizations, according to Tsimlyansky. He emphasized that the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces has no plans for additional mobilization.

Conscriptions in Russia happen twice per year. Last falls conscription began a month later than usual due to bottlenecks at conscription offices amid a partial mobilization, according to TASS.