Defense legislators suggest permitting non-military service at armed force facilities
In a move aimed at addressing the shortage of personnel in organizations fulfilling the state defense order, a new bill has been introduced to the State Duma by Yaroslav Nilov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans Affairs. The bill proposes that conscripts could serve in civilian organizations fulfilling the state defense order instead of military service.
However, as of July 2025, there are no substantive updates or official details available regarding this bill. The lack of reporting or official documentation suggests that either the bill has not advanced to the point of public debate or international notice, detailed information is restricted, not yet published, or only available in Russian-language legislative tracking systems.
It is important to note that this bill is not related to the bill proposing alternative civilian service for conscripts, which traditionally allows those with religious or ethical objections to military service to fulfill their duty in approved civilian roles instead. The new bill is also not intended to increase the volumes of the state defense order, contrary to some speculations.
The state defense order refers to Russia’s procurement and production programs for the defense sector, overseen by the state to meet military-industrial needs. The bill, as proposed, would allow conscripts to serve in organizations fulfilling the state defense order instead of military service, addressing the current shortage of personnel in these organizations.
Previous discussions about conscripts and defense sector needs have taken place, but no specific recent legislative move is documented in the search results available. For current, reliable details, consultation of primary Russian legislative sources such as the State Duma’s official website, parliamentary session transcripts, or government press releases is essential. These would clarify the bill’s status, its sponsors, provisions, and the stage it has reached in the parliamentary process.
The new bill is just one of the efforts being made to address the current situation of the SVO (Special Military Operation). It is reported by RIA Novosti, a Russian state-owned news agency. However, the exact details and progress of the bill remain unclear at this time.
The new bill, proposed by Yaroslav Nilov, aims to allow conscripts to serve in civilian organizations fulfilling the state defense order instead of military service, potentially addressing the shortage in the industry. Despite reports by RIA Novosti, the bill's details and progress, such as its sponsors, provisions, and its current stage in Russian parliamentary processes, remain largely undisclosed to the general-news sector, including finance and politics.
