Lawmakers move to extend Russia's compulsory military draft to a year

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Russian lawmakers voted Tuesday to make military conscription year-round, escalating recruitment efforts as the Ukraine war enters its fourth year of fighting.

The measure allows conscription offices to summon recruits for medical exams anytime, though actual service will remain limited to spring and summer months.

Facing persistent draft evasion, Russia has deployed electronic registers and legal penalties including bank account freezes, license suspensions and foreign travel restrictions.

Russian lawmakers Tuesday endorsed a bill mandating year-round military conscription, rather than just in the spring and fall, as authorities seek to fill the ranks as fighting in Ukraine grind