The Ministry of Defense proposes to establish a single maximum service age

The Ministry of Defense of Russia has developed a law in which it is proposed to establish a single maximum age for military service during the period of mobilization, martial law or during wartime. The law will affect those who entered the army before June 24, 2023. The agency proposes to set the age limit at 70 for senior officers and 65 for others.

The Ministry of Defense explains the necessity of such a law by the fact that now for those who concluded contracts until June 24, 2023, the maximum length of service is not prescribed. It is installed only for those who did it after the specified date. It is indicated that the current legislation does not apply “to the entire period of mobilization and to legal relations arising from the beginning of a special military operation.”

“The adoption of the draft law will allow to ensure the necessary level of staffing of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, at the same time, it will not be allowed to reduce the level of combat readiness and combat capability of units, formations and military units during the period of a special military operation,” the document says.

• In July of last year, the State Duma adopted a bill on raising the age limit for soldiers, sailors, sergeants, foremen, ensigns, and midshipmen to be in the reserve by five years. The age limit for conscripts of the first category has increased from 35 to 40 years, for the second category – from 45 to 50 years, and for the third category – from 50 to 55 years. For senior officers with military ranks, the maximum age of stay in the mobilization reserve has been increased to 65 years, for junior officers to 60 years.
• In November 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a meeting of Russian bloggers and media workers writing about the war in Ukraine, stated that volunteers and contractors participating in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine will not return home until their end, regardless of whether how long did they conclude contracts with the Ministry of Defense or when were they mobilized.