A decision reached in the Duma on April 11, during its final, third reading, approved a bill creating a central registry for those responsible for military service and introducing electronic summons. The document becomes active after the Federation Council approves it and the president signs it.
Text released on the Duma portal notes the measures apply to citizens subject to compulsory service who receive a summons from the military registration and enlistment office, prohibiting them from leaving the country. The restriction takes effect at the moment the summons is received and lasts until the summoned person reports to the military authority.
The amendments also broaden how summonses can be delivered. They may be served in person with a signature, by registered mail, or electronically. When delivered electronically, service is considered complete at the moment the summons is posted to the citizen’s personal account within the relevant information system.
Furthermore, the changes specify that if a summons is not sent by any of the designated methods, it is deemed served seven days after it was entered into the summons register.
There is a recommendation to impose restrictive measures against deserters who fail to present themselves at military offices within 20 days of receiving the summons. These measures include:
– an IP registration ban;
– suspension from self-employment status under the occupational income tax regime;
– halting the ability to register real estate;
– limitations on driving privileges and vehicle registration;
– denial of loan applications or other credit actions.
These restrictions may be lifted within 24 hours of the citizen reporting to the military registration and enlistment office or when valid reasons for non-appearance are verified. A notice of the restriction’s removal will be sent through the State Services portal.
The amendments also introduce additional provisional steps to ensure the agenda of the military commissariat is on track at the regional level. Federative subjects will have the authority to restrict access to certain types of assistance or support measures as part of enforcement efforts.
According to the changes, employers must inform their workers about these agendas and provide opportunities to appear at the military registration and supplies office. Employers should supply the necessary information about employees to the military commissioners to maintain accurate records. For workers who are not currently enlisted in the military, employers must notify the military commissariat and issue a referral for enrollment.
Additionally, government bodies, law enforcement agencies, the Central Election Commission, educational institutions, and health organizations are required to furnish the enrollment offices with all essential data needed for registration.
The text states that citizens can be placed in the reserve and registered in military records without appearing in person at the military registry and enlistment office, if the information about the citizen supports such a process. This rule does not apply to individuals who are already serving, hold military ranks, or are in the reserve of the SVR and FSB.
What he said in the Kremlin and the State Duma
Dmitry Peskov, the president’s press secretary, stressed that the changes do not relate to recent operations in Ukraine or any new mobilization wave. He asserted that there is no second wave and framed the draft bill as a modernization of the military registration system. He also noted that if citizens have questions about the process, it is the authorities’ duty to provide clear explanations.
According to Peskov, there are many points of confusion, such as how electronic mail and other details will work. He described utilities as not essential for the system, emphasizing that the work is necessary to improve how military registration operates, making it more modern and user-friendly for everyone.
He added that the Kremlin does not anticipate that discussing a new bill in the context of a special operation will trigger panic or mass emigration. He explained that the issue at hand concerns military registration, not mobilization, and should be understood as such.
Andrei Kartapolov, head of the State Duma’s Defense Committee, outlined the document’s specifics. He stated that a summons becomes valid the moment it is transmitted to the person’s dedicated account in the system. He noted that if these changes pass, they would apply universally to all individuals responsible for military service, but would not affect the current spring draft. Kartapolov also stressed that the revisions are not linked to mobilization or any anticipated actions in Russia.
State Duma deputy Andrei Lugovoi, one of the bill’s authors, commented that responsibility for any failure to notice an agenda rests with the individual, particularly if it is not visible in the information source or accessible to the person concerned.
Maksut Shadayev, head of the Ministry of Digital Development, urged Russians not to worry and noted the return of the delete account option within the State Services. He explained that this feature had disappeared briefly after the Defense Ministry announced plans for electronic summons. The ministry acknowledged concerns about the rising misuse of personal accounts, stating that the profile can be removed from Government Services when visiting a multifunction center. The emphasis remains on ensuring secure, accessible identification within the system, while maintaining user control over data.