From ‘only professionals’ to closing the borders for draft evaders A timeline of Russia’s official statements on who it’s sending to war
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Russian President Vladimir Putin says that “only professionals — officers and contract soldiers — are taking part” in the “military operation” in Ukraine. He assures Russians that “not even a single conscript” is involved in the war and says the Russian authorities have no intention of deploying any. Putin thanks citizens who have reported to enlistment offices to volunteer, but he says “their help is currently not needed.” “And I’m confident we’re not going to need it,” he adds.
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In his International Women’s Day address, Putin reiterates that mandatory service conscripts “are not participating in combat and are not going to.” He also vows that Russia will not draft soldiers from the reserves.
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The Russian Defense Ministry acknowledges that there are conscripts fighting in the war. “Unfortunately, several instances of conscripts serving in units of the Russian Armed Forces and participating in the conduct of the special military operation on the territory of Ukraine have been discovered,” reads the ministry’s statement. Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov says that several conscripts have been taken captive.
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Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says that there will be no mobilization in Russia. “At the moment, no, this is not on the table,” he tells reporters. The previous day, Peskov declined to answer a question about mobilization and advised journalists to speak to the Defense Ministry. The ministry declined to comment.
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Putin declares mobilization. He says the measure is necessary because Russia is now facing “the entire military machine of the collective West,” which seeks to “weaken, divide, and ultimately destroy our country.” At the same time, he maintains that the campaign is only a “partial mobilization.” Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu says that 300,000 people will be called up, but the section of Putin’s official mobilization order that presumably contains the number of soldiers to be drafted is classified.
Putin assures Russians that the draft will primarily affect people who have undergone mandatory military service, who have a “military occupation specialty,” and who have relevant experience. In reality, the army called up numerous people who had no military experience at all, and many of them were sent to the battlefield without any training.
In the weeks after Putin’s announcement, hundreds of thousands of Russians leave the country.
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The Russian Defense Ministry declares that mobilization is complete. Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov says that no more draft orders will be served and that enlistment offices are returning to normal operations. At the same time, Putin does not issue a decree ending mobilization. His spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, will later say that the president has “consulted with lawyers” and determined that such a decree is legally unnecessary.
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The Russian State Duma rushes through a set of amendments that make it significantly more difficult to evade military service. The legislation lays the groundwork for the creation of a digital registry of draft-eligible citizens and eliminates the requirement that a military summons be served in person, making it legal to issue draft orders online or by registered mail instead. It also deprives draft dodgers of numerous rights, making it illegal for them to leave the country, drive a car, buy property, and take out loans.
Dmitry Peskov says the changes are a necessary part of “refining the military registration system.” When asked whether the authorities will use electronic summonses if a second wave of mobilization is declared, he responds: “There will be no second wave.”
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