Putin signs decree enlisting 134,500 young men into Russian army
Russia is conscripting 134,500 men between the ages of 18 and 27, according to a decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, as reported by several Russian news agencies.
The young men would be enlisted by mid-July.
At the same time, the mandatory 12 months of military service for Russians is being scrapped.
It was unclear how many conscripts would leave the army to join the reserves.
The one-year stint of military service for men between the ages of 18 and 27 is a legal requirement in Russia.