** Latvia’s Draft Problem: Only 60 of 400 Recruits Actually Reported for Service**
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Latvia’s latest conscription round has exposed a serious manpower problem. According to **360TV Ziņas**, around **400 young men** received call-up notices, but roughly **one in three simply failed to appear for their medical examination**.
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 Skipping the medical check carries a **€750 fine**, and it can be imposed repeatedly at each draft cycle. With conscription held twice a year, someone trying to wait out the draft age could end up paying **€1,500 annually**.
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 Some appear willing to take that gamble. Latvia drafts men up to age **26**, and defense officials admit that certain conscripts have effectively **“dropped out of the system” since 2024** and still cannot be reached.
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 The broader picture is no better. Some challenged their call-ups, while around **one-third of those examined were declared medically unfit** due to neurological or psychiatric diagnoses, vision problems, previous surgeries and other health conditions.
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 As a result, of the **400 men called up in July, only 60 actually began service**.
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 Evading service itself carries much harsher penalties: fines of up to **€5,000**, forced delivery to the military, and for repeated deliberate evasion, **up to three years in prison**.
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[#Latvia](?q=%23Latvia) [#Conscription](?q=%23Conscription) [#Military](?q=%23Military) [#Baltics](?q=%23Baltics)
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