Over-40s can now serve in the Russian military, thanks to a law signed by the president.
The law was passed just over three months after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Putin and his inner circle expected the invasion to be swift and decisive, but it was long and deadly for Russia.
Some 15,000 Russians have been killed, according to Western officials. Russia has not given figures of its own, while Ukraine claimed to have killed 30,000.
According to Russia's Novaya Gazeta newspaper, the new law does not have an upper age limit.
The proposal was passed by Russian lawmakers earlier in the week and Putin signed it.
Lawmakers argued that removing the age limit would help in the recruitment of doctors and engineers.
UK intelligence officials recently said that Russia's losses have caused serious problems for its invasion.
In one update, they said personnel problems had forced Russia to rely on mercenaries and irregular forces, rather than its main army.
They predicted that commanders would rush exhausted troops back into fighting after capturing Mariupol without properly resting or re-equipping them, which is likely to lead to more deaths.
Older fighters have been accepted into the military of Ukraine. The country banned all men aged 18 to 60 from leaving in case they were needed to fight during the invasion.
Ukrainian officials have conceded recently that Russia is gaining ground in the attacks on the Donbas.
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