Russia moves to make draft evasion more difficult

With many Russians worried that their government may once again resort to a far-reaching military conscription to shore up its faltering invasion of Ukraine, lawmakers in Moscow on Tuesday moved to make it much harder for people to dodge the draft.

The measures passed by the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, would bar anyone called up to fight in Ukraine from leaving the country, among other restrictions. The upper house of parliament must also approve the measures.

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While the Kremlin insists that it does not plan a new draft, the government appears intent on making sure that if there is one, it is not as chaotic as the mass conscription ordered last fall.

When President Vladimir Putin of Russia announced that one in September, saying the goal was to bring about 300,000 more troops into the military, tens of thousands of men headed for the borders, finding havens in other countries.

That may prove to be more difficult should there be a new conscription.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, said Tuesday that there were no plans to mobilise more men to fight in Ukraine and that the measures were needed to modernise the conscription system. But the question of a new draft has taken on added urgency in Russia as its forces prepare for an anticipated spring counteroffensive from Ukrainians. The Kremlin has had to walk a fine line between keeping the peace at home and meeting its military needs in Ukraine.

Ukraine, too, faces steep challenges, especially when it comes to desperately needed artillery shells and air-defense ammunition. It has pressed its allies for more weaponry, and Tuesday, on a visit to Toronto, Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal secured a promise for new military aid. Canada said it would supply Ukraine with 21,000 assault rifles, 38 machine guns and 2.8 million rounds of ammunition, worth 59 million Canadian dollars (about $44 million).

The measures adopted by the Duma on Tuesday also included a provision to introduce electronic draft summonses and steps to close loopholes in the system to make it more difficult for draftees to avoid notifications.

The final measure will have to be signed by Putin before it becomes law.