By Matt Underwood Russians Eligible for Military Service Are Being Blocked From Traveling Abroad
Let’s get right into it: Russians who are eligible for military service are facing travel restrictions. The situation seems to be tightening, and it’s affecting a lot of people, especially men of a certain age. It’s a direct result of Russia’s ongoing involvement in the war in Ukraine, and it’s creating a complex set of challenges.
In Russia, like in many countries, there’s mandatory military service. Generally, if you’re a man, you’re expected to serve for a year or two after you turn 18, depending on the circumstances. Traditionally, there have been ways to avoid it: you could get a deferment by going to university, taking specific jobs, or even resorting to less savory means. The age window would eventually pass. Proof of having served was generally only needed for specific government jobs. Now, the government is implementing a new system to keep track of these obligations. This means that people are being stopped from leaving the country, not necessarily because they’re being sent to the front lines in Ukraine, but because they haven’t fulfilled their mandatory service requirements or haven’t responded to summons.
One of the main issues is how Russia is managing its military efforts. To a large extent, it has kept the war out of the public eye by relying on contract soldiers and mercenaries. These recruits are often drawn from poorer regions, away from the major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg. The aim seems to be to avoid public funerals in wealthier areas, which could fuel discontent. The consequences of this are still dire, however, with many soldiers being lost in combat, but the government tries to distance itself from the tragic results.
Of course, this raises questions about fairness. There’s a strong impression that the children of the elite are not affected in the same way as the middle and lower classes. It appears the restrictions are falling most heavily on the less privileged sections of society. Many well-off Russians are already abroad, presumably waiting out the war. There’s also the question of how the war effort is being sustained, and the fact that the government is facing increasing manpower shortages. This could mean the war is heading into a new phase.
This situation highlights a critical point: Russia has a one-year mandatory military service for all men. While there are ways to avoid this, they’re becoming increasingly difficult to utilize. Conscription can be avoided by having health issues, mental or otherwise. However, these issues are often stigmatized in Russia, and getting such an exemption is difficult and time-consuming. Even signing up for civilian service, which can take longer, isn’t always an option.
Before people hit the eligibility age, they could avoid these restrictions by leaving Russia altogether. However, that window seems to be closing. There are reports of conscripts being pressured into signing contracts, some by coercion. Some reports even suggest forgery is used to enlist people against their will. These practices suggest desperation to ensure the war effort is sustained.
This brings us to the complexities of how Russia operates. It’s essentially a country of stark contrasts, with modern cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg on the one hand, and vast, impoverished rural regions, often with limited infrastructure, on the other. It’s from these rural regions that much of the conscripted cannon fodder is drawn. This is the Russia you never see in the glossy, official media.
The government is now reintroducing conscription to increase the war effort. While the full implications are not entirely clear, this could lead to instability. It’s a difficult situation for everyone involved. For Ukraine, more soldiers mean more fighting, and potentially greater suffering. For Russia, it means further strains on its resources and society.
Regarding Ukraine’s involvement, it has been under attack, so it does not use its draft in the same way as the aggressor, Russia. However, they are also using some form of draft to defend itself.
Given the sensitivity of the issue, information and context can be challenging to assess with certainty. Mental health issues are heavily stigmatized in Russia, and this impacts people’s lives.
So, what does this all mean? Well, it means that the Russian government is becoming more restrictive regarding military service. The draft is being enforced more rigorously, and travel abroad is being blocked for those eligible. This affects a wide range of people, particularly those from the middle and lower classes. The war is casting a long shadow, with the effects being felt in all aspects of life.