The Russian government has submitted a bill to the State Duma proposing to raise the maximum age for women serving in the military from 45 to 50, while extending the age limits for mobilization for women in the reserves.

Under the proposed legislation, the maximum age for women officers in the military reserve would increase from 50 to 55. For women holding other military ranks, the limit would rise from 45 to 50, ASTRA reports.

This means that women officers could be called up under mobilization until the age of 55, while women with other ranks could be mobilized until 50.

According to the explanatory note accompanying the bill, the proposed changes are intended to provide "additional social guarantees for female military personnel".

The bill’s authors argue that the current age limits do not always allow women to complete the required years of service to qualify for military pensions and preferential housing benefits.

The explanatory note also states that women make up a large proportion of personnel in military medical units during Russia’s war against Ukraine, "including those who have reached or are approaching the maximum age for military service".

The bill has been submitted to the State Duma for consideration.