MOSCOW, April 15 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Defense Ministry is not planning to raise the draft age from 18 to 20, a deputy minister said Saturday.
"The issue is not on the agenda," Nikolai Pankov said.
The proposal to raise the draft age was made by Yaroslav Kuzminov, a senior member of the Russian Public Chamber, a body set up as a bridge between the public and the authorities, which is currently discussing the human rights situation in the armed forces and social aspects of military reform.
Kuzminov said mature people would serve in the army if his proposal was approved.
However, Anatoly Kucherena, also a senior member of the Public Chamber, said raising of the draft age would cause employment problems.
