UK considers bringing back conscription for the first time since WW2, as fears of Putin's growing aggression mount - Report

The UK government has been urged to reintroduce compulsory army enlistment amid fears of Russian President Vladimir Putin's rising aggression, according to reports. 

The Putin threat

As per reports, a former UK army commander has raised alarm about the country being effectively defenseless in the face of Putin's aggression, especially if the Russian president were to launch a direct attack at the UK.

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The warning comes as Britain sees its number of soldiers dwindling. Following major cuts to the Ministry of Defence, currently, only about 72,000 regular forces are serving in the British Army. This happens to be the lowest number since the Napoleonic wars.

UK and conscription

One of the proposed solutions to the Putin threat is the reintroduction of conscription. The UK doesn't have any form of conscription or the draft, as it is called in the US, since 1963 — when the National Service was ended. If implemented, ordinary citizens would be drafted in for compulsory military training and placed on "standby" for possible deployment.

Conscription was last introduced in the UK in the lead-up to World War II. Back then, single men aged between 20 and 22 were required to undertake six months of compulsory military training. This ultimately resulted in 240,000 men being called up for war. However, when Adolf Hitler invaded Poland, this age range was expanded to 18 to 41 years, with exemptions for those deemed medically unfit or people working in industries vital to the war effort. 

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Following the war, under National Service, healthy males aged between 17 and 21 were required to serve in the armed forces.

Poland prepares citizens for Russian aggression

The UK is not alone in preparing for Russian aggression. Poland will soon send to its citizens guides on how to survive future crises and “hazardous situations” as the nation, which borders the warring nations of Russia and Ukraine, faces the imminent threat of spillover violence.

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Amid growing fears of Russian aggression, the nation, as per reports, has also warned its male population that they would have to undergo military training.

The initiative mirrors similar moves by other European nations—Sweden has already distributed civilian preparedness brochures, while Finland runs an emergency readiness website.

(With inputs from agencies)