Russia to conscript 120,000 men, again promises they won't be sent to Ukraine

Russia plans to conscript approximately 120,000 men into compulsory military service between October and December, according to an announcement by Col. Gen. Yevgeny Burdinsky, head of the Russian General Staff's mobilization department. Conscripts are scheduled to begin departing assembly points for their service locations on October 10.

Officials have again promised that these conscripts will not be sent to engage in combat tasks in Ukraine or in the four Ukrainian regions that Moscow claims to have annexed. However, Russia has made similar assurances in the past, only to later admit that conscripts had been deployed and captured in Ukraine. For instance, in March 2022, President Vladimir Putin repeatedly stated that conscripts were not involved in the invasion, but Russia’s Defense Ministry later acknowledged their deployment and capture.

Despite assurances, Russian conscripts have been drawn into the conflict, including during Ukraine’s 2024 incursion into Kursk Oblast, where some were captured. Rights groups and independent reporting have also highlighted instances where conscripts are allegedly pressured into signing military contracts, which then permits their deployment to combat zones.

The current call-up is not considered a new mass mobilization and is smaller than the autumn draft of the previous year. Russia conscripted 135,000 men in autumn 2025 and 141,000 during the spring 2026 call-up. A decree signed by Putin in December set the total planned conscription for 2026 at 261,000 individuals. Russia transitioned to a year-round conscription system on January 1, 2026, enabling recruits to be processed throughout the year, though they are still physically sent to military units during the traditional spring and autumn periods.