Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that will immediately mobilize citizens convicted of serious crimes, the RIA news agency said Friday.

The law will mobilize citizens convicted of murder, burglary, and others who have committed serious crimes. It also allows drafting citizens who had an unserved or unexpunged criminal record of serious crimes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting in Sochi
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting in Sochi (Reuters) Reuters

Those convicted of espionage, sexual crimes against minors, or terrorism are barred from fighting.

Putin's effort to draft more Russian citizens for the Ukraine war comes after he announced a "partial mobilization" of 300,000 citizens in September.

Russian citizens are taking drastic measures to avoid mobilization. Forbes reported that Google searches in Russia with terms such as "how to break an arm" and "how to break a leg at home" have spiked. Over 200,000 Russians have tried to leave the country to evade the draft after the September announcement, said Reuters.

It was also reported that the number of draftees could reach 1.2 million, according to the Euromaidan Press, a news outlet dedicated to covering the war in Ukraine.

Vladimir putin Putin Russia Ukraine