Russia is planning to raise the age of military conscription, likely to counterbalance any future losses the country might suffer during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Currently, Russian students between the ages of 18-21 can claim exemptions to avoid being drafted.
The proposed legislation seeks to move the age bracket for conscription to 21 to 30.
It is expected to be passed by the beginning of next year.
The Russian parliament introduced a bill this week to raise the age of men eligible for military service, with the aim of boosting the number of combat personnel under Russian command to 1.5 million.
According to reports, the current age bracket of 18-27 is being shifted to 21-30 in order to close a loophole where students claimed exemptions to avoid conscription.
Critics say the move is aimed at increasing the number of young men signing up to serve in the army and offset losses suffered in the war in Ukraine.
The proposed legislation mandates two transition years where the minimum age will gradually rise, meaning the new age range won't be in place until 2025.
This suggests that Russia may be anticipating a long-lasting involvement in Ukraine.
"This is not an attempt to solve Azerbaijan's problems, but to increase the number of men who are liable to conscription," said opposition politician Lyubov Sobol.
While The Moscow Times reported that critics of the legislation slammed the move as a ploy to increase the number of men eligible to join the military, The Telegraph focused on the fact that the age limit for military service is being raised in order to end a loophole where students can currently claim exemptions to avoid being drafted.
Both sources, however, agree that the bill will lead to an increase in the number of people eligible for military service.