Legislative changes: who can now be sent to the front
Vladimir Putin signed a federal law clarifying the list of articles in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. According to the document, having a criminal record or being under investigation for certain offenses is no longer an automatic barrier to signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense and subsequent deployment to combat zones. This decision significantly expands the pool of potential candidates for the army.
The list of 'prohibiting' articles has been reduced to exclude crimes related to:
- Handling weapons and explosives;
- Violation of safety regulations;
- A number of military and transport offenses.
However, a strict ban on military service remains for individuals with criminal records or under investigation for pedophilia, terrorism, treason, espionage, sabotage, extremism, and extortion. Other serious crimes against the state and public security also fall under these restrictions.
Signals of mobilization: intelligence data and the labor market
Experts and representatives of intelligence services note that Russia is showing an increasing number of signs of heightened mobilization readiness. Ukrainian intelligence reports that authorities are actively seeking new methods to replenish the ranks of the armed forces. One of the reasons is the need to compensate for the slowdown in voluntary contract recruitment.
The labor market is seeing a sharp rise in vacancies related to military registration. This indirectly confirms preparations for large-scale personnel shifts. According to sources, harsh methods are being used to attract people to the front: from physical pressure and beatings to the fabrication of criminal cases with the aim of forcibly sending individuals to the combat zone.
Assessment of effectiveness and losses on both sides
Representatives of US intelligence state that tightening measures has indeed allowed for a partial replenishment of personnel in the occupying army. However, in their opinion, these measures are insufficient to achieve significant breakthroughs on the front line. The situation remains tense, and both sides continue to suffer losses.
At the same time, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced data on Russian army losses. As of July 31, 2026, total Russian losses in the war amounted to 1.6 million people. Of this figure, approximately 700,000 are killed. These figures highlight the scale of the conflict and the high price the Russian side is paying for continuing hostilities.
