Russia trying to prevent escape of potential draftees – UK intelligence

The Russian government is developing a system to prevent potential draftees to the Russian military from leaving the country.

The UK Defense Ministry announced this on the social media platform X, Ukrinform reports.

According to the post, the Russian government is implementing an "information exchange system" between the Ministry of Defense and the Federal Security Service (FSB) to pass details of potential conscripts to the FSB Border Guard Service and prevent them from fleeing the country.

Reportedly the system is to be fully functional before the Autumn 2024 draft.

British intelligence recalled that Moscow carries out two conscription drafts each year, drafting in over 250,000 personnel annually to serve one year of compulsory military service.

Hundreds of thousands of Russians left the country after the announcement of a partial mobilization in 2022 and these were disproportionately concentrated among the young and highly educated, causing knock on effects to the labor market.

"The implementation of this system is likely intended to prevent a smaller scale repeat of this during the annual draft cycle, and in the event of a further wave of mobilization," UK intelligence said.

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