Are Russia And The US Going To War? Putin Orders More Drafted Troops

With NATO member countries already on edge because of the bloc's recent military maneuvers, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order on Thursday for 142,000 more men to be drafted this spring.

The order took effect immediately and came after Putin had already built up his military’s troop count several times in the last two years. Between October and December of last year, 152,000 men were drafted, just months after 155,000 other men last spring and another 147,100 in the fall of 2015, according to the Tass new agency in Russia.

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Each order had a minimum age of 18 and a maximum of 27 years old for each man selected. However, Russia was reportedly contemplating raising the maximum age to 30 or as old as 35.

Though relations improved following the Cold War, the U.S. and Russia have seen diplomatic tensions rise after Putin’s at best murky relationship with President Barack Obama and the accusations that he had deliberately meddled in last year’s presidential election to boost President Donald Trump’s candidacy.

Furthermore, movement by Russian troops and weapons along its western border that abuts NATO nations like Poland, the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and it’s aircraft repeatedly buzzing the airspace of Sweden and other Nordic countries have put much of Europe on high alert.

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In response to such tacit or veiled transgressions, Sweden announced earlier this month it would reinstitute its military draft because of Russia. A total of 4,000 men and women would be selected in July and start service in January 2018.

"The security environment in Europe and in Sweden's vicinity has deteriorated and the all-volunteer recruitment hasn't provided the Armed Forces with enough trained personnel," Sweden’s defense ministry said in a statement. "The re-activating of the conscription is needed for military readiness."