In remarks to Russia’s parliamentary faction leaders on Thursday, Vladimir Putin described veterans of the war in Ukraine as “our successors,” endorsing their advancement to senior positions across government. “I know that combat veterans are joining your ranks. I am confident they will make a positive contribution to the work of political parties, both locally and centrally, in the State Duma and in federal agencies,” Putin said.
The president’s comments follow regional elections that concluded over the weekend, during which 1,616 military veterans participated as candidates, 830 of whom were nominated by the ruling political party, United Russia, and subsequently won office.
For years, Putin has lauded veterans of the Ukraine invasion, and the Kremlin has launched multiple programs designed to integrate returned soldiers into Russia’s political establishment, dubbing them the nation’s “new elite.”
In January 2025, Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that most Russian lawmakers and state officials who enlisted in the military to earn credibility as veterans had, in fact, served only as volunteers under unique, preferential conditions, far from the front lines. In 2024, large numbers of Ukraine War veterans sought public office in regional assemblies, but almost none were able to clear United Russia’s primaries. In Moscow, all 14 military candidates failed to advance.