Russia plans electronic call-up papers in crackdown on draft dodgers Reuters

As it strives to refine a system it has used to augment its armed forces in Ukraine, Russia is prepared to launch electronic military draft documents for the first time in its history in an effort to make it tougher for men to evade being drafted.

Although officials from the administration claim there are presently no plans to force additional men to fight in Ukraine, the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, is scheduled to discuss the move – which requires a change in the law – in a session on Tuesday.

In order to carry out what it terms its “special military operation,” Russia claims to have mobilized slightly over 300,000 men last year; however, the country is currently concentrating on using an advertising campaign to try and enlist professional volunteer warriors.

In addition to recalling “issues” with the mobilization campaign from the previous year, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a routine press briefing on Tuesday that “the military call-up mechanism needs to be perfected and modernized.”

Tens of thousands of men in the conscription fled to other countries as a result of the first decision to mobilize for the first time since World War Two, and small protests broke out in several Russian towns but were quickly put down.

NOT ANOTHER MOBILISATION
Peskov rejected claims that the digitalization plans might cause another wave of fear and departure among young Russian men hoping to avoid being forced into combat in Ukraine.

He reiterated earlier assurances that there were no plans for a second wave of mobilization by stating, “(This plan) is not tied to mobilization.”

Men who have been targeted by military recruiters are currently sent paper summonses to the addresses on file.

The ability of recruiters to verify whether a summons has been received or not, or if they have the correct address for a draftee, has occasionally proven challenging.

A possible draftee’s personal account on the main government portal would receive summonses electronically under the proposed ideas. When delivered electronically, they are deemed delivered immediately.

In accordance with the law, individuals who ignore the summons to appear at the military enrollment office will immediately lose their ability to go abroad.

According to Andrei Kartapolov, head of the defense committee of the Russian parliament, “the summons is considered received from the moment it is placed in the personal account of a person responsible for military duty.”

The Kremlin promised to correct “mistakes” in its initial mobilization effort last year, which resulted in individuals being called up to fight in Ukraine despite being too old or having certain medical problems to be drafted.