Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
A meeting between graduating students of the Polytechnic University and representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense responsible for conscription and contract military service took place in the White Hall. The event was specifically organized for young people whose military deferments expire after completing their studies at the university, so they could plan their future actions in advance.
The first part of the meeting was devoted to conscription and the legal nuances involved. Alexey Vasiliev, Head of the Conscription Department of the Kalininsky District Military Commissioner's Office in St. Petersburg, addressed the participants.
He reminded that every conscript must have a registration certificate from the military registration and enlistment office at their place of registration. This is usually received at age 17. A young man can be called up for service in the Armed Forces from age 18. If they are studying at a university, they are eligible for a deferment. To obtain one, they must provide the military registration and enlistment office with a certificate confirming their enrollment. The date of their next enlistment will also be indicated on the registration certificate.
The deferment ends immediately after graduation. Typically, the term of study on the certificate is stated as ending in August 31st. However, most students defend their diplomas in June, and after graduation, they may be called up for military service. They are required to report to the military registration and enlistment office within two weeks and undergo a medical examination. However, they have the right to take a vacation leave, during which they will remain enrolled at the university for another two months. To confirm their eligibility for the deferment, they must apply for a vacation leave with the academic department and bring the certificate to the military registration and enlistment office.
It's best to do this, as otherwise the consequences will follow quite quickly. As soon as the expulsion order is issued, the military enlistment office will be notified of it. Since the unified military registry has been launched in Russia, a summons will be posted there, specifying when to report to the military enlistment office. The graduate will receive a notification of this in their personal account on Gosuslugi. On the day the summons is posted, the citizen's right to leave the Russian Federation is automatically restricted. Failure to appear on the specified date, according to the Code of Administrative Offenses, carries a fine of 10,000 to 30,000 rubles. The military enlistment office also has the right to impose restrictive measures within 20 days, such as blocking driver's licenses, bank accounts, money transfers, etc.
So, it's better to be on the safe side by taking a vacation leave and then decide what to do next. For example, a bachelor's degree graduate can enroll in a master's degree program and receive a deferment for another two years. Admission to a doctoral program guarantees a further deferment. The doctoral student is given an additional year to defend their dissertation. Along with the degree, the candidate receives a military ID and is enlisted in the reserves.
Those who have completed a specialist program can follow the same path. There is, however, a caveat. Part of the specialist program ends in February, and graduates are subject to conscription on March 1. Therefore, it's worth considering applying for compulsory military service, for example, in one of the scientific companies. This can be done on the Russian Ministry of Defense website.
The advantages of conscript service in scientific companies were discussed in the second part of the meeting. These units were established in 2013 at military institutes: the scientific company of the Navy, the scientific company of the Ground Forces, the scientific company of the Main Communications Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, the scientific company of the Logistics Headquarters of the Russian Armed Forces, and others. Subsequently, several scientific companies were formed at the ERA Military Innovation Technopolis in Anapa, each with a specific focus.
Captain Second Rank Anton Sokolov, Deputy Head of the Selection Committee for Scientific Company No. 1 of the Navy—a division of the Admiral N. G. Kuznetsov Naval Academy—explained how to enlist in the scientific company, the requirements for candidates, the departments and specialties available, and the living conditions of the cadets. Anton Grigoryevich clarified that graduates of military training centers at universities and those who have received a military registration specialty through the DOSAAF system are not accepted. He also noted that the company has a specific policy: work with candidates begins a month earlier than the main conscription campaign. This means that the application process ends at the end of March. The same applies to the fall conscription.
Polytechnic University graduates have served and continue to serve in the Navy's scientific company. Several cadets attended the meeting, who spoke with current students afterward and answered all their questions.
The scientific company of the Main Communications Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces was formed in 2017 at the Military Academy of Communications, located near the Polytechnic University. Stanislav Tarasenko, head of the recruitment team for the scientific company of the Main Communications Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, provided general information about the company's research focus and offered to organize a separate meeting with those interested in serving their military service there. He also invited Polytechnic students on a tour of the Military Academy of Communications. Stanislav emphasized that the academy is committed to ensuring that the year of conscript service for university graduates becomes a natural continuation of their scientific work, and that after completing their service, they can successfully find employment, including at defense industry enterprises, or become civilian research fellows at educational institutions of the Ministry of Defense, or sign a contract conferring the military rank of lieutenant and find officer positions at the academy or military research institutes.
At the end of the meeting, the students learned in detail about contract service in the unmanned systems forces created in 2025. Dmitry Bykovsky, a specialist in unmanned systems at the contract service selection center and a 2024 graduate of the State University of Aircraft Instrument Engineering, explained the details. He outlined the benefits of this type of military service specifically for students and added that payments for contract soldiers have recently increased: One year of service can earn 7,000,000 rubles.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.