The military registration and enlistment office requires conscripts to renounce their faith in writing

In Crimea, the draft board demanded that a recruit who is one of Jehovah's Witnesses provide a document confirming the renunciation of his faith and conversion to another faith.

On June 9, 2017, the believer, once again visiting the local military commissariat, received an offer to perform alternative civilian service (ACS). He agreed, adding that this is what he has been trying to achieve for a long time. But then he was told that the right to pass the ACS would be granted only on condition of renunciation of his religious views.

In two summonses, the recruit was required to appear at the military registration and enlistment office "to provide documents on the change of faith." The believer was not explained which faith he should convert, as well as where to get such documents, but added that in case of refusal, he would go to court.

Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation guarantees every citizen "the right to profess ... any religion or no religion." Neither the Supreme Court nor any other court has ever restricted this right as applied to Jehovah's Witnesses, nor has it prohibited the views of Jehovah's Witnesses as criminal.

Article 59 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation states: "A citizen of the Russian Federation, if his beliefs or religion contradicts the performance of military service, as well as in other cases established by federal law, has the right to replace it with alternative civilian service." The law does not stipulate what kind of beliefs a recruit should have.