Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the conscription of 160,000 men into the army, state media reported, marking the largest draft initiative in years, even as ceasefire talks with Ukraine continue under U.S. mediation.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries, and the White House, via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The timing and scale of the draft raise doubts about Russia's commitment to diplomacy. Ukraine has accused the Kremlin of using negotiations to delay while reinforcing its position on the battlefield, particularly in the Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions.
On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would issue secondary tariffs on Russian oil if he believed Moscow was standing in the way of a peace deal.
What To Know
Putin's order, effective April 1 through July 15, calls up Russian citizens aged 18 to 30 for military service, according to state news agency TASS.
The spring conscription campaign will not only add fresh troops but also replace conscripts who have completed their service.
It is the largest conscription draft in 14 years, according to Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, as well as since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In 2022, in the spring, 134,500 people were sent to the service, and in the fall another 120,000 were conscripted, according to the center. In 2023, in the spring, 147,000 were drafted, as were another 130,000 in the fall. In 2024, there were again two waves of conscription, of 150,000 and 133,000 people.
The draft follows years of steady military losses, and independent Russian journalists have verified more than 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since Putin launched his invasion, according to Politico.
Ukrainian officials estimate that, including those wounded, Russia lost 430,790 troops in 2024. In March, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said Moscow had lost 895,450 troops since the beginning of the invasion.
Kyiv's losses have also been substantial. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that more than 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and more than 380,000 wounded.
In response, Ukraine has extended its basic training to 1.5 months and implemented an adaptive period for recruits joining combat brigades.
Despite Russia's denials that conscripts are sent to the front lines, Ukrainian officials argue that the conscription drive shows Russia intends to escalate, not de-escalate, the conflict.
What People Are Saying
Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation said: "Although the Russian authorities claim that conscripts are not sent to the combat zone, once in service, they are forced to sign contracts 'voluntarily' and end up on the front line. Thus, conscription has become one of the Kremlin's tools to compensate for heavy losses at the front ... This conscription campaign may also indicate that, despite official statements about peace, Russia actually seeks to prolong the war."
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week: "According to our intelligence, Russia is preparing for new offensives in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions."
He added: "They are dragging out negotiations and trying to drag the U.S. into endless, meaningless discussions about fake conditions to buy time and then try to seize even more land. Putin wants to negotiate territory from a stronger position. He only thinks about war. So, our job - all of us - is defense in the broadest sense of the word."
What Happens Next
It is not yet clear what impact Putin's conscription order could have on Trump's efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.
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This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 11:50 AM.