Russian Federation (former member state)

Previous reports: 2023/24

As reported by EBCO's Russian member, the Movement of Conscientious Objectors:²

Developments

The conscription age for compulsory military service has been raised from 27 to 30 years. The maximum age for remaining in reserve and the maximum age for remaining in the mobilisation human reserve of the Armed Forces of Russia has been raised from 50 to 55 years.

Since August 2024, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia is required to electronically provide information on individuals who have obtained Russian citizenship and are scheduled to take the oath. This is done to quickly register these citizens for military service.

Since September 2024, it has become possible to discharge from military service under contract when a citizen transitions to positions in the prosecutor's office, investigative bodies, and the criminal-executive system with special ranks. These individuals are now exempt from military reserve training.

The Russian Parliament is developing initiatives to change the procedure for the validity of old conscription decisions. It is planned to establish at the legislative level that decisions made during completed conscription campaigns, for example, in the spring, will remain valid for one year. Currently, conscription commission decisions are automatically canceled after the end of the conscription campaign on July 16 or January 1.

This initiative also suggests creating unified municipal conscription commissions at the level of several municipal districts, cities of federal significance, and large regions. This would centralise the work of the commissions and make it similar to the Unified Conscription Point in Moscow, where since 2024, instead of hundreds of conscription commissions, there is one.

Finally, the authorities plan changes to the procedure for medical examinations of conscripts. A draft government resolution aims to complicate medical examinations for people with syphilis, asthma, hypertension, and other diseases. This is the first attempt since the start of the war to change the medical examination procedure, according to which a significant number of individuals with various conditions are still eligible for exemption from military service.

Conscription provisions and procedures

Conscription into mandatory military service is regulated by the Federal Law "On Military Duty and Military Service" (March 28, 1998, No. 53-FZ) and various subordinate acts. Key regulations include:

• Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 719 (November 27, 2006) "On the Approval of the Regulation on Military Registration";

• Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 663 (November 11, 2006) "On the Approval of the Regulation on the Conscription of Citizens of the Russian Federation for Military Service";

• Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 565 (July 4, 2013) "On the Approval of the Regulation on Military Medical Examination";

• Presidential Decree No. 1609 (December 7, 2012) "On the Approval of the Regulation on Military Commissariats";

• Order of the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation No. 700 (November 22, 2021) "On the Approval of the Instruction on Organizing Work to Ensure the Functioning of the Military Registration System".

It is important to note that these are only a fraction of the officially published regulations governing conscription. The Russian Federation also enforces classified (secret) instructions, mainly issued by the Ministry of Defence, which are not publicly available but are used in judicial proceedings.

Contract service

The percentage of conscripts transitioning to contract service in Russia is not publicly disclosed. However, according to the Ministry of Defence, approximately 200,000 people signed contracts for military service from the beginning of 2024. This information was reported by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. It should be noted that these figures are linked to the ongoing mobilisation campaign and increased financial incentives for contract signing.

Reservists in the Russian armed forces reserve may be called up for military training lasting from two to four weeks in a military unit. The summoning process includes:

• Official call-up notices, including electronic summons.

• Mandatory medical examinations before deployment to training camps.

• Reservists undergoing training acquire the status of active-duty military personnel, subject to additional obligations and legal responsibilities.

As of 2024, failure to attend reserve training is punishable by an administrative fine ranging from 10,000 rubles (€100) to 30,000 rubles (€300).

However, from 2025, additional restrictions will be imposed on reservists who fail to appear within 20 days of receiving a summons, including:

• Travel bans prevent them from leaving Russia.

• Property restrictions, including bans on registering real estate transactions.

• Driving bans and prohibitions on registering vehicles.

• Credit restrictions, preventing them from taking out loans.

• Business activity bans, prohibiting them from registering as self-employed or individual entrepreneurs.

Draft evasion and conscientious objectors

In 2024, there was a high number of prosecutions for evasion of military service:

In the first half of 2024, 427 people were convicted under Article 328 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for draft evasion. Three received suspended sentences, while the rest were fined. Only five individuals received fines exceeding 100,000 rubles. The total amount of fines collected was 16.4 million rubles.

For comparison, in 2023, a total of 958 people were convicted for draft evasion, but none received actual prison sentences.

Conscientious objection provisions and procedures

Article 59(3) of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Federal Law "On Alternative Civilian Service" (July 25, 2002, No. 113-FZ) provide the right for citizens whose beliefs or religious convictions are incompatible with military service to substitute military service with alternative civilian service.

Citizens whose beliefs or religion prevent them from serving in the military have the right to alternative civilian service (ACS). The process:

• The applicant must submit a request to the military commissariat at least six months before the draft starts.

• The draft board evaluates the application based on the applicant's personal statements, testimonies from supporting individuals and documents or additional materials submitted.

Government agencies, schools, and the media do not actively inform conscripts about ACS. Information is mainly limited to official local government websites. In some regions, detailed informational booklets were printed, mainly in opposition-controlled municipalities before September 2022. However, alternative service information is negligible compared to the aggressive military contract recruitment campaign.

Applications for the substitution of military service with alternative civilian service are reviewed by the draft commissions, which are formed in military registration and enlistment offices based on territorial criteria: one or more draft commissions for each municipal area. An exception to this rule was made starting from March 2024 in Moscow, where district draft commissions were abolished and replaced by a single unified municipal draft commission, which covers all districts of the Russian capital.

According to Article 27 of the Federal Law "On Military Duty and Military Service," the draft commission consists of a local government official heading the local administration (the executive and administrative body of the municipal area) or their deputy, who is the chairperson of the draft commission; a military commissariat official – the deputy chairperson of the commission; the secretary of the commission; a doctor responsible for medical examinations of citizens subject to military service; a representative of the relevant internal affairs authority; a representative of the relevant authority responsible for education; a representative of the relevant employment service authority (in matters related to alternative civilian service). The commission may also include representatives from other bodies and organisations.

This legal provision is effectively ignored in Moscow, where the unified municipal draft commission includes individuals holding positions in the Moscow Government, i.e., regional rather than local authorities.

In 2024, Russia saw a significant increase in the number of citizens undergoing alternative civilian service (ACS). In the first half of 2024, the number of "alternativists" reached 2022 people, which is double the number for the same period in 2023. Previously, in the second half of 2023, 1645 people were serving ACS, which is a 37% increase compared to the first half of the same year, when the number was 1199 conscripts.

A commission may reject an application for alternative civilian service (ACS) under the following circumstances:

• Insufficient evidence of beliefs: If the submitted documents and testimony do not sufficiently support the applicant's claim of conscientious objection.

• False information: If the applicant provides false information in their documents.

• Failure to appear: If the applicant fails to attend commission hearings twice without a valid reason.

The most common reason for rejection is missing the six-month deadline for submitting the application (see Question 20). While Russian courts have ruled that missed deadlines can be reinstated, draft boards and courts frequently ignore this Constitutional Court ruling.

Additionally, arbitrary rejections occur when commissions claim that applicants have not "proven" their beliefs, which is an illegal basis for rejection. However, courts sometimes uphold these decisions despite their illegality.

There are two ways to appeal a rejection:

• Administrative appeal: To the higher-level draft commission at the regional level (e.g., the Saratov Regional Draft Commission).

• Judicial appeal: In the district court located in either the jurisdiction of the draft commission or the applicant's residence.

Refusing to perform alternative civilian service (ACS) leads to criminal liability under Article 328(2) of the Russian Criminal Code. Potential punishments include:

• A fine of up to 80,000 rubles (€800), or the equivalent of six months' salary;

• Compulsory labor for up to 480 hours;

• Arrest for up to six months.

Importantly, criminal prosecution does not exempt the person from still having to complete ACS.

Alternative civilian service (ACS) is overseen by the Federal Service for Labor and Employment (Rostrud). Rostrud is a government body subordinate to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.

The duration of ACS is generally 21 months. If assigned to an institution affiliated with the military or other security forces it is reduced to 18 months. In contrast, compulsory military service lasts 12 months.

ACS participants receive salaries according to the wage system of the institution where they are assigned. The minimum wage in Russia, as of January 1, 2024, is 19,242 rubles (€193.98) per month.

Military conscripts receive 2,000 rubles (€20.16) per month for the first 11 months and 4,000 rubles (€40.32) per month for the final month of service. This means ACS participants earn significantly more than conscripts, whose payments are below the minimum wage.

ACS placements include hospitals, elderly care homes, educational institutions (schools, universities), museums and theaters, regional government departments. As of 2024, the official list includes 239 job positions and 1,439 organisations authorised to host ACS participants.

Objectors do not have full freedom of choice regarding their ACS placements. The Federal Labor Service (Rostrud) assigns placements based on an officially approved annual list. However, individual preferences may influence the assignment process through:

• Personal written requests submitted to Rostrud;

• Requests from hiring organisations advocating for specific applicants;

• Informal intervention by draft commissions recommending particular placements.

The default rule requires ACS to be performed outside the applicant's home region. However, this is not strictly enforced, as most ACS participants serve in their region of residence due to logistical and financial considerations. Relocation may still be required within the region, which can be problematic in large territories like Komi Republic, Krasnoyarsk Krai, or Sakha Republic (Yakutia).

Voluntary recruitment

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation use a variety of incentives to encourage voluntary military service, including financial incentives: monthly salaries for contract servicemen, including rank-based pay, position-based pay, and additional bonuses.

In the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, extra one-time payments are provided for signing military contracts and for completing specific combat missions.

Social Benefits: Medical care in military hospitals. Free or subsidised housing, or compensation for rental costs. Early retirement benefits after a set period of service. Additional benefits for war participants, such as combat veteran status, which grants extra privileges. War participants are exempt from paying loan interest during their military service, and their loan obligations are canceled after the preferential period ends.

Recruitment Campaigns: Promotional events, including open house days, meetings with military personnel, and demonstrations of military equipment. Advertising campaigns across TV, social media, and outdoor advertising promoting contract military service. In Tatarstan, a 12-hour televised marathon was held, featuring guests and hosts promoting contract military service.

Under Russian law, the first military service contract can be signed by citizens of the Russian Federation and foreign nationals aged 18 and above.

In 2024, there were two conscription campaigns for men aged 18–30:

Spring conscription (April 1 – July 15): 150,000 recruits.

Autumn conscription (October 1 – December 31): 133,000 recruits.

Exact data on volunteers who signed contracts in 2024 is not publicly available. However, former President Dmitry Medvedev claimed that 200,000 people signed military contracts in 2024. Contract service is available for men and women aged 18–70.

Voluntary military recruitment is regulated by:

• Federal Law "On Military Duty and Military Service" (March 28, 1998, No. 53-FZ);

• Federal Law "On Defence" (May 31, 1996, No. 61-FZ);

• Presidential Decree No. 1237 (September 16, 1999) "On Military Service Regulations";

• Government Decree No. 1441 (December 31, 1999) "On Training Citizens for Military Service".

Since 2023, no minimum conscription period or trial service requirements apply. Contracts can be signed immediately at age 18, both for Russian citizens and foreign nationals.

Exact figures on reservists called up annually are classified and not publicly disclosed. According to TASS, information on the number of reservists and their distribution across military districts is confidential. The maximum duration of reserve training in Russia is 60 days per year, as per Article 55 of the Federal Law "On Military Duty and Military Service".

Conscientious objection during and after military service

Servicemen, whether performing compulsory conscription service or serving under a contract, including those mobilised for the war in Russia and Ukraine, cannot ask for release on grounds of having developed conscientious objection due to lack of legislation, and such applications will be denied.

In 2024, Russian military courts received 10,308 criminal cases related to refusal of service — nearly twice as many as the previous year (5,517).³

Asylum for conscientious objectors

In Russia, official statistics on the approvals and rejections of asylum applications based on conscientious objection to military service are not publicly available. Russian authorities rarely grant asylum to foreign nationals, especially on such grounds. If we are talking about internal protection mechanisms (such as refugee status or temporary asylum in the Russian Federation), such cases are extremely rare, and the procedure itself is opaque. Most applications are rejected, especially if the applicants come from countries that the Russian authorities consider "safe."

Militarisation of the education system

Military training is a mandatory part of education in Russian schools. Previously, 10th-grade students attended military training sessions as part of the "Basics of Life Safety" (OBZh) course.

From September 1, 2024, this subject has been replaced by "Fundamentals of Security and Homeland Defence", which includes expanded initial military training. Students are now required to study:

• Military statutes of the Russian Armed Forces.

• Rules for handling firearms.

• Fundamentals of drone operation.

• Military structure, symbols, and functions of the army.

The program is designed to instill military knowledge and promote the armed forces as a career option, making military preparation an integral part of the school curriculum.

The Russian Ministry of Defence, through military commissariats, has extensive access to students' personal data.

Legal provisions regulate the transfer of information to the Ministry of Defence, including:

• Mandatory registration of students in military records at age 17.

• Automatic notifications to military offices when students enroll in colleges or universities.

Failure to provide required data to the military commissariat or other relevant authorities is punishable by fines under Article 21.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (CAO RF). Educational institutions may face fines of 350,000–400,000 rubles (€3,500–4,000). School and university administrators may be fined 40,000–50,000 rubles (€400–500) for failing to submit mandatory student data.

Separate penalties apply for not providing essential student records for military registration, further reinforcing government control over student military data.

Military-Patriotic Camps and Training Sessions: Specialised camps are organised where school students undergo intensive courses on security and national defence. The program includes firearms training, tactical drills, first aid, and other military-related skills. In 2024, reports indicated that such camps trained children in handling weapons, using protective equipment, and other military disciplines.

The nationwide "Yunarmiya" (Young Army) Movement, supported by the Russian Ministry of Defence, aims to instill patriotism and military readiness among young people. Members participate in military training camps, exercises, and visits to military units. As of late 2024, the movement had approximately 1.3 million members.

Various regions in Russia operate military-sports training centres for youth aged 14–35 to provide military-applied training. Programs include drone operation, firearms training, tactical exercises, and engineering skills.

In Russia, military personnel are involved in teaching in schools both temporarily and permanently.

On September 1, 2024, Russian schools introduced a new subject, "Fundamentals of Security and Homeland Defence" (OBZhR), replacing the previous "Basics of Life Safety" (OBZh). The course is planned to be taught by veterans of the Special Military Operation (SMO) with relevant education. According to Deputy Minister of Education Alexander Bugaev, these veterans will share their practical experience and military knowledge with students.

Additionally, during training camps for 10th-grade students, military officers from various units conduct firearms, drill, tactical, and physical training sessions. Military personnel thus actively participate in the education system, fostering patriotic upbringing and military preparedness among youth.

1. Population and armed forces figures are derived from The Military Balance 2025, published by the international Institute for Strategic Studies; military expenditure figures are estimates published by SIPRI (The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) in April 2025. ⤴
2. More info about the organisation at: https://stoparmy.org/en/⤴
3. https://zona.media/news/2024/12/27/500-itog⤴