intelligence
London: Moscow could expand age group for military service
A red star in Moscow’s Red Square at the top of one of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin Photo
© Ivan Sekretarev/AP/dpa
British military experts believe that Russia could raise the age limit for conscription in order to meet a planned increase in the armed forces – without further mobilization.
According to British military experts, the Russian government could raise the age limit for conscription. This emerges from the intelligence update from the Ministry of Defense in London on the Ukraine war on Sunday.
According to this, the Kremlin could increase the maximum age of men eligible for drafting from 27 to 30 years in order to achieve the planned increase in the armed forces by 30 percent without renewed partial mobilization. In Russia, all men between the ages of 18 and 27 are generally conscripted. However, only part of this age group is drafted for the one-year service.
“There is a reasonable possibility that the Russian leadership is hoping that changing the age criteria for routine conscription could increase the available staff and appear less alarming to the population than a new round of an unpopular ‘partial mobilization process,'” the statement continued .
The British Ministry of Defense has published daily information on the course of the war since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine at the end of February, citing intelligence information. In doing so, the British government wants to both counter the Russian portrayal and keep allies in line. Moscow accuses London of a targeted disinformation campaign.