The Kremlin intends to call up 133,000 men for compulsory military service through January to help replenish the ranks of the armed forces as Russia continues to face tough fighting in Ukraine and Kyiv’s ongoing push into Kursk.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to call up military conscripts “who are not in reserve are subject to army draft from October 1 to December 31, 2024.”

The decree also orders the discharge of Russian soldiers who have served their “established term of conscripted military service,’ according to the official Russian TASS news service.

The latest draft order comes two weeks after Mr. Putin set a target of 1.5 million active-duty troops by the end of 2024. Military service in Russia is compulsory and draft dodging is punishable by up to two years in prison.

Conscripts can be deployed to combat zones like Ukraine for only four months after being drafted and completing basic military training. Mr. Putin promised that conscripted soldiers would not take part in combat operations soon after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.

Although it is not banned by Russian law, top military officials have generally avoided sending new conscripts to combat “given the unpopularity of such a move,” according to the Moscow Times.

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.