Putin signs law to mobilize Russian citizens convicted of serious crimes

By Arshan Chowdhury, Staff Reporter, The Pawprint

A bill allowing citizens with unpunished or pending convictions for murder, robbery, theft, drug trafficking, and other major offenses under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to be called up for military duty has been signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. This would allow for hundreds of thousands of convicts who were previously forbidden from service to be enlisted into the Russian military, to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

In his “partial mobilization” effort, Putin aimed to raise 300,000 soldiers for the Russian military, and that goal was reached this week. However, the partial mobilization order only ends when Putin signs an official decree, and until then, Putin reserves the right to conscript additional troops.