Russian serviceman fires a howitzer during an exercise at the Kuzminski test site in the southern Rostov region, Russia, January 26, 2022. REUTERS / Sergei Pivovarov
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May 25 (Reuters) – Russia’s parliament on Wednesday approved a law twice as fast as removing the upper age limit for contract service in the military amid heavy casualties in Ukraine.
Deputies in the lower house of the State Duma approved the bill in three readings in one session, and shortly afterwards the upper house, the Federation Council, gave its approval. The bill now only needs the signature of President Vladimir Putin to become law.
State Duma spokesman Vyacheslav Volodin said: “Today we need to especially strengthen the armed forces and help the Ministry of Defense. “Our Commander-in-Chief is doing everything he can to ensure the victory of our armed forces, and we must help.”
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Currently, only Russians aged 18-40 and foreigners aged 18-30 can enlist as professional soldiers in the Russian army.
Russian forces have suffered significant losses in battles in Ukraine.
The defense ministry said on March 25 that 1,351 Russian servicemen had been killed and 3,825 wounded since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine on February 24. It has not updated its victim data since.
Ukrainian and Western intelligence officials said Russia’s losses in Ukraine were significantly higher at the time and had risen sharply since March.
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Reuters report; Edited by Kevin Liffey
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