Every year, the next batch of recruits aged 18-27 years is recruited, capable of replenishing the lists of the mobilization reserve of the Russian Federation. Young people awaiting the draft in 2022 are wondering when conscription into the army begins and whether they should expect changes in the current legislation.
Information about the possible abolition of military service, often discussed in the media, causes a lot of rumors, especially among citizens who do not want to spend time studying military disciplines.
It is worth understanding all the nuances in order to know exactly how recruitment events will take place and who they will affect.
Conscription into the army
Military service in the army is an honorable duty for every adult male citizen. It is important to know that in the absence of valid reasons for deferment, if the young man has not been called up for military service before and he has not turned 27, then he is subject to conscription.
The procedure does not take one day. First of all, citizens who have reached the age of 16-17 years are registered. To do this, they are invited to the military registration and enlistment office and, after passing a medical commission, are presented with a registration certificate. At the age of 18, when the conscript becomes an adult, it is exchanged for a military ID.
After reaching the age of 18, starting from the next day, young people are subject to conscription. First, they are invited to the military registration and enlistment office to undergo a medical commission, where their fitness category and the branch of the military in which the conscript can serve is determined.
After the medical examination, the draft commission meets at the military registration and enlistment office. A conscript must be present. There, all the circumstances are discussed and considered, and a final verdict is made on the fitness of the young man or on the assignment of a deferment for a certain period of time.
Then the young man has time to appeal the commission’s decision. The court considers the application within 5 days. If the young man agrees with the verdict and is ready for service, then, during the draft board, he is given a summons, when and where to appear with his things to leave for the place of service.
How is the branch of service determined for a conscript?
The decision about which troops conscripts are assigned to is based on the results of a medical examination. After all, it is the medical commission that assigns the fitness category to the conscript. The distribution is as follows:
- Category A - the conscript will join elite troops, such as airborne troops, marines, and service on a submarine;
- Category B is divided into several subcategories: B1 – involves service in elite troops;
- B2 - gives the opportunity to serve on a submarine, become a member of a tank crew and artillery installations;
- B3 – category for the crew of infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, service in the internal units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and guard units is allowed;
- B4 – category for radio engineering and communications parts.
Regarding the territorial location, they can be sent to any corner of the country. But the conscript has the opportunity to write an application with a request to select a unit as close to his home as possible. For example, a young man can take advantage of this advantage if he has a small child.
Military service period in 2022
There are a lot of rumors about both increasing the service life to 20 months and reducing it by 45 days. Both options are just rumors. None of the laws changing the length of military service have been adopted, and therefore in 2022 conscripts still join the army for 12 months.
Spring call 2021
The spring 2022 draft dates have not changed compared to other years. Recruits are recruited from April 1 until July 15. During this time, it is planned to conscript more than 100 thousand young people throughout the country for military service.
As for the deadlines, there are exceptions in certain regions and in some cases. For example, in the regions of the Far North, the dates of spring conscription into the army are shifted by a month, and this process begins only on May 1. But the spring conscription in the North also ends on July 15. Exactly the same date shift is guaranteed for conscripts who work as teachers.
Autumn call 2021
The fall 2022 call dates are as follows:
- For ordinary citizens and most conscripts - from October 1 to December 31;
- In the Far North - from November 1;
For those who work in rural areas and are engaged in autumn harvesting work, the call begins on October 15.
Military training in 2022
In addition to military service, citizens liable for military service may be called up for military training, which is expected to take place in the summer-autumn of 2021. Citizens of conscription age who have served conscription, as well as persons over conscription age who have had deferments, can be called to military training.
Failure to appear in response to a summons to a collection point will be considered evasion, and without a valid reason will be punishable by an administrative fine of 500 rubles. Citizens who have more than 3 children, FSB employees, firefighters, police officers, drug control and tax officials, as well as customs officers are not subject to conscription for military training. In addition, all deputies of any branches of government and employees of administrations of any level have been released. Those exempt include teachers, railway workers, and persons who have completed civilian alternative service.
Alternative Civil Service (ACS)
Alternative civil service is called labor activity aimed at the benefit of society and the state. This type of work is a substitute for military service. A conscript who rejects the possibility of using weapons for moral or religious reasons can apply for the AGS.
Alternative civil service is work that is paid and carried out in a government agency. The duration of the ACS is much longer than the period of conscription service and is 21 months. The type of useful work for alternative service is chosen by the state. There is a whole list of suitable professions. Refusal to engage in any activity entails criminal liability.
In order to replace conscription service with an alternative one, a young man must draw up an appropriate application and submit it to the military commissariat, meeting the required deadlines. For example, if a youth is scheduled to enlist in the fall of 2022, the application must be submitted by April 1, 2022. This time difference is due to the fact that the military registration and enlistment office will need a certain period of time to consider the application, after which it will invite the young man for a medical examination and a meeting of the draft commission.
Appearing at the military registration and enlistment office during the conscription period
It often happens that military commissariat employees simply lose sight of a particular conscript. Therefore, some citizens do not receive summons. This is not a reason to rejoice and pass by the military registration and enlistment office with a smile.
If you do not have valid reasons for a deferment from military service and there are no health problems, then during the periods of spring and autumn conscription into the army in 2022, you should go to the military registration and enlistment office yourself and identify yourself. The staff will refer you to the commission.
First of all, it is convenient to carry out such necessary procedures during the official conscription campaign; secondly, the absence of a military ID at conscription age can create problems with employment, and with traveling abroad, as well as with obtaining a license to carry weapons.
Conscript's personal belongings. What can you take with you?
The mobile phone has become a part of our lives, and it is almost impossible to stop using it. Currently, everyone has this device, including conscripts. However, a serviceman’s phone model should be the simplest, including a minimum of additional functions. The fact is that serving in the Russian army provides access to classified information, so the presence of cameras and voice recorders is strictly prohibited.
As for personal hygiene products, conscripts must be provided with them. But nothing bad will happen if the recruit takes the basic set with him. Scissors, glass containers and other items that can be used as weapons are strictly prohibited.
For those who smoke, it is better to stock up on cigarettes or take some cash with you to buy them, as those that are given out for free leave much to be desired.
Deferments and exemptions from conscription
At the time of being called to the military registration and enlistment office, the conscript must be 18 years old and must not have turned 27.
The young man undergoes a medical commission, which assigns him one of the health fitness categories. There are several doctors on the commission: a surgeon, an ENT specialist, an ophthalmologist, a neurologist, a psychiatrist, a narcologist, and a therapist. Each of them makes his own “sentence” on health, and the final verdict is made by the draft commission. In this case, they are equal in the smallest category. There are 5 health groups in total:
- "A". The conscript is fit for service in any type of military; Marines, paratroopers and special forces are recruited from such young people;
- "B". Good with minor restrictions. In this case, only certain types of troops can be chosen, where great physical activity and increased endurance are not needed;
- "IN". Limited availability. The conscript is automatically enlisted in the reserves and is called up only in the event of hostilities;
- "G". Temporarily unusable. A young person, due to health reasons, is given a deferment of 6-12 months. During this time, the conscript is treated or undergoes rehabilitation, then the draft commission meets again and makes another verdict;
- "D". Unfit. People with such a health group are not accepted into the army.
In addition to health, a deferment is granted to those who have serious family circumstances:
- The conscript is a single father;
- The young man is in the care of sick and minor relatives who have no other support;
- There is a disabled child under 3 years of age;
- The young man is the father of more than two children;
- There is one child and a spouse in the last stages of pregnancy - more than 26 weeks;
- Deputies and administration of all levels of government, as well as candidates during elections, also have a deferment from the army.
The most popular way to get a deferment is to study full-time at a higher educational institution. The same applies to those who are studying in graduate school or defending a candidate or doctoral dissertation.
But if a student is expelled for poor academic performance, then he should expect a summons to the military registration and enlistment office during the next spring or fall conscription.
There are groups of conscripts who are completely exempt from military service. These are seriously ill people, those convicted of serious crimes, those who have already served in the army or served in the troops of other states.
Responsibility for failure to appear on a summons
When young men find out that conscription into the army in 2022 is open, and Russia is waiting for recruits, the question immediately arises about the responsibility of draft dodgers. Many are sure that if you run away from the military commissar until the age of 27, then nothing will happen, and you can safely not repay your debt to the Fatherland. This is a misconception.
Of course, no one will be sent to prison right away. After the first failure to appear at the military registration and enlistment office, they will be limited to a warning. In case of repeated violation, an administrative fine of 500 rubles may be issued. And for malicious draft dodgers there are stricter punishments. They are provided for in Art. 338 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and are threatened with a fine of up to 200 thousand, payment of the conscript’s income for up to 1.5 years, as well as arrest for up to 6 months and imprisonment for up to 2 years.
Rights and responsibilities of a conscript
It is not enough for a young man of the right age to know what date military conscription begins in 2022. It is necessary to have full information about your rights and obligations. For this purpose, a hotline organized by the Ministry of Defense operates during the fall and spring conscription periods.
First of all, you should not become a draft dodger and ignore summonses to the military registration and enlistment office. It is the duty of any male citizen to serve in the army. If a young man is sure that he is not fit for health or he has good reasons for a delay, then it is necessary to defend his rights.
First of all, the draft commission, at the request of the conscript, is required to provide the minutes of the meeting. With this document, the young man has the right to go to a military lawyer, and then appeal the decision in court.
Experts in military law advise to be very careful with all the documents you present to the military registration and enlistment office. To prevent them from getting lost, the conscript has the right to leave only copies. Otherwise, even a completely unfit conscript, at the end of the conscription campaign, may be enlisted in the army to fulfill the plan.
If there are doubts about the validity of the diagnoses or important diagnostic documents are lost, the young person has the right to undergo an independent examination and present the data to the court. Upon appeal, before the court hearing, the commission's verdict on fitness and assignment to the Armed Forces is considered suspended.
