The country has removed the upper age limit for service members.
QUICK FACTS:
- Russian legislature moved forward with legislation to remove the age limit on those eligible to serve in the country’s military, according to Fox News.
- Previously, military service was limited to those between 18 and 40 years of age. But the recent legislation signed by President Vladimir Putin allows older Russians to enter the service.
- “Today, especially, we need to strengthen the armed forces and help the Ministry of Defense. Our Supreme Commander is doing everything to ensure that our armed forces win, and we need to help,” State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said in a statement.
OTHER CHANGES IN RUSSIAN MILITARY:
- The UK’s defense minister reported that the Russian military has also removed several of their top military commanders.
- “Many officials involved in the invasion of Ukraine will likely be increasingly distracted by efforts to avoid personal culpability for Russia’s operational setbacks,” the ministry said. “It will be difficult for Russia to regain initiative under these conditions.”
BACKGROUND:
- Some reports from western media outlets suggest Russia has sustained serious losses during its incursion into Ukraine.
- Estimates suggest that Russia has lost around 15,000 soldiers, and suffered injuries among another 35,000 reported to be wounded, according to the U.K. foreign ministry.
