Rattled by Russia, Sweden Plans to Bring Back Conscription

Men and women born from 1999 liable for the draft in 2018
Decision comes amid posturing by Russia in the Baltic Sea

The decision by the government in Stockholm means that some 13,000 young men and women will be called for enrollment from July 1, with around 4,000 people then selected for compulsory military service in 2018 and 2019.
Photographer: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Johan Carlstrom and Niklas Magnusson

March 2, 2017 at 8:26 AM UTC

Updated on

March 2, 2017 at 12:49 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Sweden plans to bring back military conscription to counter Russia’s military buildup in the Baltic Sea, in a move that underscores how tensions are mounting along Europe’s borders with the nuclear superpower.

The decision by the government in Stockholm means that some 13,000 young men and women born from 1999 onward will be called for enrollment from July 1, with at least 4,000 of them then selected for compulsory military service starting in 2018, the Swedish Defense Ministry said Thursday.