The British secret services have warned that the Russian authorities are preparing the ground to secure recruitment for their Army for the longer term and to be able to detect and punish those who are dodging the draft for now.
London notes that last April 11 the Russian Parliament passed a law unifying the registration of individuals of military age. »The key consequence is that in future the authorities will be able to submit draft calls electronically rather than on paper, thus removing the obstacle that has allowed some to avoid such a call-up until now,» British Intelligence explained in a statement.
In addition, the military-age census will now be digitally linked to other services provided online, making it »likely that the authorities will penalize those who do not comply with recruitment by limiting their employment rights or restricting their travel abroad.
The measures included in this law will come into force later this year and »do not specifically indicate a new wave of forced mobilization,» according to the UK.
Russia for now is prioritizing voluntary recruitment. However, the measure is most likely part of a longer-term approach to ensure that there is recruitment in the face of Russian prospects of a protracted conflict in Ukraine,» London has argued.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
