An army of dedushkas? Russia scraps age limit for military recruits as casualties soar in Ukraine

As the Kremlin’s casualty count continues to rise in Ukraine, Russia’s parliament on Wednesday approved a law removing the upper age limit for contractual military service.

Under the current law, Russians aged 18 to 40 and foreign residents aged 18 to 30 are able to enlist.

“We need to strengthen the Armed Forces, help the Defense Ministry,” State Duma Speaker Viacheslav Volodin said in a statement. “Our Supreme Commander-in-Chief is doing everything to ensure that the army wins and increases its effectiveness.”

The bill’s co-author, Andrey Kartapolov, has previously stated that the bill is necessary in order to attract “highly professional specialists” for the use of high-precision weapons along with medical, maintenance and communications experts.

The Duma’s decision comes just one day after Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the Kremlin was not currently considering a deadline for the end of its “special military operation,” instead stressing that Russia will continue fighting “until all the objectives have been achieved.”

Since Putin first announced the invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s defense ministry has said that 1,351 soldiers have been killed and 3,825 have been wounded. These numbers – last revised on March 25 – have been contested by Ukrainian and Western intelligence sources, who claim the figures are likely much higher.