Russia Initiates New Large-Scale Conscription Drive, Intensifying Domestic Economic and Social Pressure

In January 15, 2025, Russia, under the directive of President Vladimir Putin, launched a new and more extensive conscription and partial mobilization effort, aiming to compensate for continuous personnel losses at the front and sustain military pressure on Ukraine. This action in Moscow and major Russian cities sparked renewed social unrest and quiet dissent, leading to an increased exodus of eligible men from Russia, which further stressed the domestic labor market and economic stability.

While the Russian government promised higher compensation for service members, the immense social cost and uncertainty about the future severely tested the regime's domestic public support. For conservatives, the Putin regime's reliance on forced military mobilization to sustain a costly war exposed the brutality of the system and its tendency to prioritize state interests over citizen liberty and economic well-being, a hallmark of authoritarian rule.