The Kremlin has purportedly suffered up to 243,680 soldier deaths since its February 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine.
Russia may soon be adding millions of eligible troops as the war in Ukraine continues to drag on.
The Russian State Duma passed legislation that would raise the upper age limit of mandatory military service from 27 to 30 on Tuesday, according to The Kyiv Independent. The lower age limit for military conscripts would remain at 18 under the new legislation.
The new age limit, which will go into effect on January 1 if passed by the full legislature and signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, would reportedly result in up to 2.4 million more men being eligible for at least one year of required service in the Russian military.
Potential draft dodgers would also be targeted under the new law, which includes a prohibition on foreign travel for conscripts after they receive their draft notices.
