NIYSO: Prospective Students in Chechnya Are Being Redirected to Military Enlistment Offices

The Chechen opposition movement NIYSO, recognized as extremist in Russia, reported that young people arriving in Grozny to enroll in universities are being redirected to the military enlistment office and drafted into military service. This information has not yet been confirmed by other sources, and regional authorities are refraining from comment.

According to NIYSO, the 19-year-old applicants were taken directly from their educational institutions, and their families learned of this only after the fact. NIYSO claims that this practice has recently become widespread.

Since January 1, 2026, conscription into military service in Russia has been in effect year-round, although conscripts are still dispatched in two established periods. The Russian Ministry of Defense states that conscripts are not being sent to the combat zone in Ukraine. However, human rights activists report that agitators are pressuring conscripts to sign contracts to participate in combat operations, resorting to pressure and violence if they refuse.

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