University students of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic — in Russian-occupied Eastern Ukraine — will no longer be called to Russian military service, a Kremlin official told Russian state media Sunday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given instructions to “demobilize” the students and organize for their return home, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti.

The announcement refers to those students who were mobilized before the self-proclaimed republics were illegally annexed by Russia, according to RIA.

Peskov added that the students now will be sent home and continue their education.

Some background: Russia announced at the start of this month that its “partial mobilization” of hundreds of thousands of citizens to fight in the country’s war on Ukraine has been completed.

It brought to an end a controversial draft that sparked protests and an exodus of men from the country.

Officials said the draft’s target of recruiting 300,000 personnel had been met as of late October. (CNN)

PHOTO CAPTION:•Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a press conference on October, 31, in Sochi, Russia. (Contributor/Getty Images)