Russia Tightens Grip on Military Conscription with New Laws and Regulations

Russian lawmakers have voted to enforce an electronic draft system that would make it nearly impossible for men to avoid conscription, ahead of Ukraine's widely anticipated spring offensive. The new rules, which could be enforced as early as this week, mean that a conscription notice will be considered delivered and legally valid as soon as it lands in one’s account on Russia’s state portal for electronic services. The changes appear to give the Kremlin a much more streamlined system that would enable a more thorough conscription effort, closing loopholes that have helped thousands dodge the draft.