Future conscripts from the North Caucasus Federal District have not noticed any changes in the conscription rules.

Since the beginning of the year, conscription has formally become year-round, and failure to appear at the military registration and enlistment office after receiving an electronic summons leads to restrictions on rights. However, these measures are currently rarely enforced. In Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia, there are virtually no ACS personnel, according to human rights activists. Prospective conscripts reported that the changes have not yet directly affected them.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, amid the announced partial mobilization and mounting losses, attitudes toward military service among residents of the North Caucasus have changed. Previously, it was seen as a social elevator and an opportunity to earn money, but mass protests against mobilization and unfilled vacancies in the security and military structures demonstrated a change in the mood of residents, human rights activists indicated in 2023.

What has changed in the conscription rules

From January 1, 2026, conscription formally became year-round, but dispatches to the troops still occur in the spring and fall.

Director of the human rights group "Citizen. Army. Law"* Sergey Krivenko* explained how the work of military registration and enlistment offices has changed in practice.

"In fact, these changes legitimized that "a practice that the military registration and enlistment office had resorted to before - calling people in for a medical examination before the draft deadline. Conscription is a process: conducting a medical examination, conducting a draft board, sending them to the troops. Previously, all this could only be done during the draft deadline, now it can be done all year round, except for sending them off," he told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

If a citizen refuses to receive a summons, it is still considered delivered on the day of refusal.

According to the new rules, a conscript is required to appear at the military registration and enlistment office within 30 days from the date the electronic summons is posted in the registry.

"If a summons is received by mail, it is considered delivered on the day the person receives the letter with the summons in the mail; if received in person, it is considered delivered upon receipt. If a citizen refuses to receive a summons, it is still considered delivered on the day of refusal. Even if you don't receive a paper summons, 7 days after it is posted in the registry, the summons will be considered delivered. And after 20 days, if you fail to appear, your rights may be restricted," he noted.

According to According to him, conscripts can be punished for evasion under Part 1 of Article 328 of the Criminal Code only in the absence of legal grounds for exemption from military service.

"Furthermore, on May 22, 1996, the Constitutional Court explained that the actions of citizens exercising their constitutional right to alternative civil service cannot be regarded as evasion. Military registration and enlistment offices often blackmail people with criminal punishment, so it is important to distinguish in which cases it is truly possible. Criminal liability in connection with summonses can occur in two cases. The conscript failed to appear for conscription events: a medical examination and a draft board. The conscript failed to appear in response to a summons for dispatch to the place of military service. There should definitely be no criminal liability for failure to appear in response to a summons for clarification of military registration documents. Evasion is classified as a minor crime. If a person is held accountable for evasion for the first time and there are no aggravating circumstances "Under certain circumstances, he cannot be deprived of his liberty under Article 56 of the Criminal Code. In recent years, only one person has received a real prison sentence; we do not know the circumstances of the case. Most often, a fine is imposed. People with a criminal record are not subject to conscription until it is expunged, which occurs one year after the fine is paid. Failure to appear at the military registration and enlistment office for any summons can result in a fine of 10,000 to 30,000 rubles under Part 1 of Article 21.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses," Krivenko said.

Data on the number of people undergoing ACS as of mid-2025 - 160 citizens as of August 1, 2025: 102 people from Stavropol Krai, 38 citizens from the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, 20 people from the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, and 10 from Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Dagestan - no one

As for the number of citizens undergoing alternative civilian service from the North Caucasus Federal District, there are certain specifics, he notes.

"There are specifics in the organization of service in the republics. The authorities of the republics do not actually support the organization of ACS. Here are the data on the number of people undergoing ACS as of mid-2025 - 160 citizens as of 08/01/2025: 102 people from the Stavropol Territory, 38 citizens from the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, 20 people from the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, and no one from Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan," the human rights activist concluded.

Military enlistment offices are not yet disclosing the results of their activities, notes Ivan Chuvilyaev, press attaché for the "Go Away" project*.

"As for changes, there's no practical implementation yet. The main problem here is that we know what they're doing, but we have no idea what the Ministry of Defense's actions are. We know they're sending out summonses, we know these medical draft boards are meeting. What's the result? Do they send you straight to the unit, offer you a contract, or something else?" "It's too early to judge; we'll see within a month or two," he told the Caucasian Knot.

In his opinion, the unified register of conscripts is still functioning poorly.

"As for the restrictions, that's complete nonsense, because, according to the law, if you don't want to serve on a summons, you're automatically subject to all sorts of restrictions, like a travel ban. That's why the unified register of conscripts was created. But it doesn't work because not everyone is added to the unified register of conscripts. As for the 30 days, it's 30 days from the moment of dispatch, not from the moment of receipt, because they think dispatch and receipt are the same thing. This is the approach of the Ministry of Defense,” he said.

Since the start of the Second Military Operation, the flow of people wanting to undergo training at DOSAAF has decreased, says a human rights activist familiar with the organization’s activities.

“They have a reduction of 20-30 percent, according to my information. There is, as always, demand for truck driver courses, and in recent years, drone operators, radio operators, and medical specialties. That is, those areas that are in demand at the front. Many come on their own initiative, realizing that conscription or mobilization is possible, and they want to gain useful skills in advance. There has also been an increase in the flow of contract soldiers who are sent for additional training before being sent to the Second Military Operation zone,” she told the Caucasian Knot.

Formally, at military registration and enlistment offices They are urging conscripts to pass the GTO, but this remains a recommendation, not a requirement, so there has been no widespread increase.

As for the GTO among conscripts, the situation is ambiguous, she notes.

“Formally, since 2024, having the GTO gives conscripts the right to choose their branch of the military, which should have encouraged them to pass the standards. However, in practice, most conscripts still ignore the GTO. According to statistics, only about 15-20% of conscripts have any GTO badges by the time of conscription. The reasons are a lack of real motivation, the low physical fitness of young people, and the lack of accessible infrastructure for passing the standards in the regions. Military registration and enlistment offices are formally urging conscripts to pass the GTO, but this remains a recommendation, not a requirement, so there has been no widespread increase,” the human rights activist explained.

Murat of KBSU said he hadn't heard about any changes to the draft process. He said he'll have to serve, but he still has three years of school left, so the issue isn't as pressing for him right now. I'm preparing for my future service indirectly. In my free time, I go to the gym and work out, because physical health is an important aspect in the army,” he told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

A graduate of the medical faculty of KBSU, Alim, would prefer to undergo alternative civilian service if he is given the opportunity. He said that he had already been drafted once, but was granted a deferment due to his studies in master's program. He was summoned to the military registration and enlistment office by a summons he received at the post office.

“I would like to undergo any alternative service as a medical worker, so as not to be separated from my profession,” he told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent. According to him, he will try to get such an opportunity.

19-year-old Aslan said that he would serve He doesn't want or aren't ready for this. He's studying to be an IT specialist and hopes his profession will help him make a difference in this field.

No one has yet contacted human rights activists in Kabardino-Balkaria regarding changes to the conscription legislation. "But there are many appeals from relatives of SVO participants," said Alla Alimova, head of the public organization "Committee of Families of Warriors of the Fatherland."

Mass conscription of residents of the Chechen Republic into the Russian army was virtually nonexistent for almost two decades after the start of the First Chechen War. In 1994, conscription was stopped and was not resumed for a long time due to the armed conflict and instability in the region. Only in 2014 did the authorities announce the reinstatement of conscription, but it was introduced on a limited basis: approximately 500 men from Chechnya were sent to military service annually.

While Chechnya's demographic indicators allow for the conscription of significantly more young men, in practice, conscription in the region remains limited and largely symbolic compared to other regions of the North Caucasus.

The innovations related to the conscription campaign add to the nervousness, but overall, they do not affect attitudes toward military service, a fourth-year law student named Yunus told a Caucasian Knot correspondent.

"Attitudes toward military service have changed not because of the innovations, but because of Ukraine. Although they say they're not sending conscripts, I've heard numerous reports that anything is possible. I have absolutely no desire to end up there. Actually, I'm currently studying; I'm graduating this year. Now they're saying that even without notice, I have to report for military service upon graduation, regardless of whether the draft is ongoing or not, since it's now year-round. Of course, this adds to everyone's anxiety. I plan to work in the justice sector, so I wasn't going to pretend to be sick," he said.

Another local resident, Aslanbek, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the issue of conscription is not currently relevant for him, since he is a first-year student.

"Here, on the contrary, you have to pay to be conscripted. My brother wanted to join the security forces, and his parents paid to have him taken and keep him serving at home. Although, after the start of the Ukraine, there was a lot of writing about summonses being handed out en masse," Aslanbek said.

According to the republican authorities, the autumn conscription campaign in the Chechen Republic is taking place on the usual dates - from October 1 to December 31. In 2025, local Military registration and enlistment offices reported plans to send 700 new recruits to serve. The Chechnya Today news agency, citing Chechen military commissar Ruslan Numakhadzhiev, reported that conscription in the region is being carried out on the basis of a decree by the Russian president and a decree by the head of the republic and is being conducted "in a planned manner," denying its connection with a special military operation. According to him, the length of service remains the same - 12 months, and conscripts are sent exclusively to units in Russia.

Numakhadzhiev also recalled that conscription in Chechnya was resumed only in 2014 after a long break, and for a long time was carried out only once a year - in the fall, with recruits sent primarily to units of the Southern Military District. Since 2023, conscription campaigns have been held twice a year - in spring and fall, and the geography of service has expanded: Chechen conscripts began to be distributed not only in southern, but also to the central regions of Russia.

09:14 21.10.2025

Human rights activists have confirmed the practice of sending Chechen residents to the SVO for minor violations

Residents of Chechnya are being forcibly sent to Ukraine as punishment for alcohol and drug use and minor offenses, human rights activists have confirmed information from businessman Aslanbek Akhmetkhanov.

In 2024, 500 people were sent from the region to serve in the armed forces, the Vainakh State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company reported, citing the military commissar. Ruslan Numakhadzhiev of Chechnya. The military registration and enlistment office reported that "military registration and enlistment offices continue to use traditional paper summonses as the primary method of notification." Furthermore, following changes to federal legislation, penalties for violating military registration regulations have been tightened: while previously the fine for failing to appear in response to a summons was approximately 500 rubles, starting in October 2023 it has been increased to 10,000–30,000 rubles.

Meanwhile, Chechen opposition Telegram channels regularly report forced conscription, the sending of recruits to Ukraine, or coercion into signing contracts with the Ministry of Defense.

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