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Russian parliament scraps age limit for army recruits
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(Reuters) -Russia’s parliament approved a law on Wednesday in double-quick time removing the upper age limit for contractual service in the military, amid heavy casualties in Ukraine.
(Reuters) -Russia’s parliament approved a law on Wednesday in double-quick time removing the upper age limit for contractual service in the military, amid heavy casualties in Ukraine.
Lawmakers in the State Duma lower house approved the bill in three readings in a single session, with the upper house, the Federation Council, giving its assent shortly after. The bill now needs only the signature of President Vladimir Putin to become law.
State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said: “Today, especially, we need to strengthen the armed forces and help the Ministry of Defence. Our Supreme Commander is doing everything to ensure that our armed forces win, and we need to help.”
Currently, only Russians aged 18-40 and foreigners aged 18-30 can enlist as professional soldiers in the Russian military.
Russian forces have suffered significant losses fighting in Ukraine.
The defence ministry said on March 25 that 1,351 Russian service personnel had been killed and 3,825 wounded since Moscow sent its armed forces into Ukraine on Feb. 24. It has not updated its casualty figures since.
Both Ukrainian and Western intelligence officials have said Russia’s losses in Ukraine were significantly higher at the time, and have risen sharply since March.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Military recruitment is the process of attracting, selecting, and enlisting individuals to serve in the armed forces. This includes various age limits and eligibility criteria for potential recruits.
A contract soldier is a member of the military who enlists under a contractual agreement, typically for a specified period, rather than through compulsory conscription.
Military casualties refer to individuals who are killed, wounded, or missing in action during military operations. This statistic is crucial for assessing the impact of conflicts.
The State Duma is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, responsible for drafting and passing legislation, including laws related to military service and recruitment.
The Federation Council is the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, which reviews and approves legislation passed by the State Duma, including military-related laws.
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