Putin signs law raising age limit for Russian military reservists by five years

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law raising the upper age limit for Russian reservists by five years, TASS reports.

According to the document, men who have completed compulsory military service can be mobilised up to the age of 40, 50, or 55, depending on their category.

The age limit for senior officers has been raised to 65 years. It will be raised to 60 for junior officers. The upper age limit for high-ranking officers stands at 70.

The law also allows foreign citizens to sign reservist contracts with the Russian military, provided that they would have no access to state secrets.

Reservists are citizens who have either completed military service or are exempt from it but eligible for conscription during wartime. The reserve also includes people who voluntarily signed a contract with the Russian Defence Ministry: they go through annual military training and get payments from the Russian army.

The law introduces a four-year transition period — between 2024 and 2028 — during which the upper age limit will be gradually raised.

The Russian lower house passed the law on 18 July.