By Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent
Russia holds two annual conscription drives – one in spring and one in autumn – with all males aged between 18 and 30 required to do one 12 months of navy service.
So, in that sense, in the present day’s draft is nothing new.
What’s new, nonetheless, are the numbers. Vladimir Putin has referred to as up 160,000 males, which is the biggest conscription marketing campaign since 2011.
The authorities declare it has nothing to do with the battle in Ukraine, insisting that conscripts aren’t despatched to the entrance.
That could be true within the brief time period. Conscripts cannot legally be deployed to struggle exterior Russia (though some have been despatched to the entrance in error).
However in the long run, it has all the pieces to do with the battle, and the broader geopolitical tensions.
That is as a result of again in September, Vladimir Putin signed a decree to develop the Russian military by 180,000 troops, citing rising threats on Russia’s western borders.
It was the third time since his invasion of Ukraine that he is expanded Russia’s ranks.
His purpose is to have 1.5 million lively servicemen, making Russia’s military larger than America’s, and the second-largest on this planet after China’s.
In the present day’s draft is a results of this, and it is a signal of Russia’s relentless militarisation.
Regardless of the consequence of peace talks, the Kremlin will stay on a battle footing for a while but.
