Russia continues to conscript IT specialists despite the delay

The Russian Federation has seen an increase in the number of cases of conscription of IT companies' employees for military service, despite the delay for IT specialists introduced last year.

Source: Russian outlet Kommersant.

The outlet notes that despite the deferral from conscription for IT professionals introduced last year, cases of IT company employees being called up for service have become more frequent. IT specialists were reportedly being summoned to enlistment offices during the spring and autumn conscription period (which began on 1 October and will end on 31 December).

The report says that the main reason for the increase in the number of conscription among IT specialists is the growing bureaucratic burden on the military commissariats system and mistakes made by IT companies themselves.

Risks also arise when changing jobs. Raising the conscription age limit will worsen the situation, as the most qualified personnel may be at risk, lawyers say.

The outlet cites a lawsuit filed on 6 October challenging the decision of the Moscow Conscription Commission, from which an employee of an IT company received a summons on 2 October with an instruction to report to the place of service on 16 October. The statement says that the conscript works for an accredited IT organisation as an "engineer" and has a specialised university degree.

At the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian government approved a procedure for postponing military service for IT specialists due to the massive departure of IT professionals from the country.

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