In Russia, conscripts are to be enlisted to help fight fires due to a shortage of firefighters

The Russian State Duma’s Security Committee has endorsed a bill that allows conscripts to serve in units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Members of the new, ninth convocation were recommended to pass the bill on its first reading.

The bill provides for amendments to the law “On Fire Safety.” According to the document, conscripts will be able to be deployed to fight fires in populated areas, including urban forests, as well as to conduct emergency rescue operations as part of military units of the Federal Fire Service (FFS). Such units already exist, but are currently deployed in closed cities, in areas of special importance, and in restricted zones, according to the explanatory note.

If the bill is passed, the areas where military units involving conscripts operate are planned to be expanded. The authors of the document attribute this to the “geopolitical situation in the world,” as well as “potential threats from hostile countries” and the need to protect “citizens and economic facilities.”

In addition, the involvement of conscripts is intended to help address the shortage of personnel in the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The bill notes that each year, the ministry loses between 3 and 5 percent of its enlisted personnel and junior officers. According to the authors of the document, the shortage of on-duty personnel reduces “tactical capabilities” at emergency sites, which could lead to the spread of fire and injuries to people.

Up to 5,000 conscripts are planned to be assigned to the Federal Fire Service each year. This was announced in February by Alexander Kurenkov, head of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. At that time, he reported that the initiative had already been agreed upon with the Ministry of Defense, and that staff turnover remains one of the agency’s main challenges. According to him, this is primarily due to low wages.

According to a report by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, as of the end of 2025, fire departments were short more than 203,000 personnel. At the same time, the Federal Fire Service had a total of 386,830 personnel.

In July, the Russian government supported a proposal to enlist conscripts in firefighting efforts.

Lawyer Arseniy Levinson called the bill controversial. He noted that instead of raising salaries for civilian firefighters, the Ministry of Emergency Situations plans to use “effectively free labor from military personnel.”

In his opinion, the Russian authorities could utilize the alternative civilian service (ACS) mechanism. “There would be well over 5,000 people willing [to serve under the ACS],” the lawyer believes.

This is being reported by Russian propaganda media.

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