The State Duma voted to raise the draft age: how the new scheme will work

In stages, starting from January 1, 2024 and then annually for one year

On June 14, the State Duma voted to raise the draft age. It is expected that the new conscription scheme for conscripts will start working as early as next year. Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Duma Defense Committee, said that the draft law gives draft dodgers a chance to change their “rotten” certificate for an honest military ID.

The bill amends two laws – “On military duty and military service” and “On alternative civilian service.” Andrey Kartapolov, head of the lower house defense committee, spoke about how the new conscription scheme will work:

– The lower limit of the draft age of 18 to 21 years is proposed to be increased in stages, starting from January 1, 2024 and then annually by one year. That is, we will reach the age of 21 on January 1, 2026, – explained the co-author of the amendments, the head of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrei Kartapolov.

As the deputy emphasized, the new rules of conscription will allow school graduates to “calmly and effectively prepare for the entrance exams.”

– There will no longer be a need to be distracted by events related to the passage of a medical examination, professional selection, meetings of the draft board and receiving a deferment for training, – explained Kartapolov.

The head of the Defense Committee recalled that in Russia every year about 675,000 young people receive a deferment from military service in connection with their studies.

– In addition, and this is important, no deferments from conscription for military service are canceled by this bill, – Kartapolov emphasized separately, – All citizens are guaranteed education at all levels and its continuity.

Here the head of the defense committee made an important reservation: continuity does not mean at all that you can first study at a college and then immediately enter a university. No, we are talking about graduating from one educational institution: a technical school or an institute. That is, in this regard, the rules remain unchanged.

And what about those who do not want to wait until the age of 21 and dream of going to serve from the age of 18? The new law gives this opportunity to such young men. To do this, you will only need to write an application to the draft board. Dodgers aged 27 to 30 will also be able to write a similar statement.

– The draft law is pre- It turns out that you will not call on 18-year-olds, but will call on third- or fourth-year students? Ostanina asked.

Andrey Kartapolov assured: no one from the student’s bench will be taken to the military unit. Not from the third year, not from any other. The student will calmly unlearn and only then go to serve. Fortunately, he will have plenty of time for this. The upper limit of the draft age, as expected, will be raised from 27 to 30 years.

The first reading of the bill passed, but without unanimity in the ranks of the deputies. Of the 360 ​​parliamentarians who took part in the vote, 13 were against and one abstained.