Military enlistment offices across Russia have begun sending out summonses, sparking fears that the Kremlin may be preparing for a new wave of mobilization, media outlets have reported.
The summonses were sent to residents in central Russia’s Ulyanovsk and Perm regions, as well as in Siberia’s Krasnoyarsk, Kemerovo and Chelyabinsk, according to the independent news outlets Avtozak and Govorit NeMoskva, which shared photos of the summonses on the Telegram messaging app.
The recipients said they were not being summoned to go straight into military service but were asked to appear at recruitment offices to make sure their personal details were up to date.
In at least one case, enlistment officers in Ulyanovsk offered Defense Ministry contracts to those who showed up.
Enlistment offices can summon those eligible for military service to verify their personal details, including marital status, education and place of residence. Failure to show up carries a fine of between 500-3,000 rubles ($5-30).
The recent string of summons deliveries comes in anticipation of new digital summonses, which will replace paper call-ups and completely overhaul Russia’s military draft system as soon as this fall.
Together with a new law that bans draftees from leaving Russia after they receive their online summons, recent legal moves tightening draft rules have fueled fears that the Kremlin might be preparing to mobilize more men to fight in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has said it is unaware of plans to launch a second mobilization.
Authorities have not officially commented on the latest reports of summonses being sent out.
Police in St. Petersburg, meanwhile, reported that it had rounded up and delivered 100 naturalized Russians who had failed to register with the military authorities to enlistment offices.