Provision of support for special military operation participants at the municipal level discussed at the National Centre RUSSIA

A panel discussion "Integration of the Special Military Operation Heroes into Civilian Life" was held at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the 3rd All-Russian Municipal Forum "Small Homeland — the Strength of Russia". The main focus was on coordinating the work of municipalities with regional and federal institutions to build an effective and systematic framework for supporting and rehabilitating veterans of the special military operation and their family members, as well as their social and professional reintegration into civilian life.

Chair of the "Defenders of the Fatherland" Foundation, Anna Tsivileva, noted that work with veterans should be brought as close as possible to where they live — especially in small towns, rural areas and remote territories. To achieve this, more municipal branches of the Foundation may be established across Russia’s regions. According to her, successful experience is already received in three pilot regions — the Moscow Region, the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic — where branches have been opened following a "one-stop service" model. These branches host not only Foundation staff, but also representatives of the prosecutor’s office, military enlistment offices and employment services.

"To ensure that such targeted — yet undeniably vital for every individual and every family — issues, sometimes even life-defining ones, do not go unnoticed, we need to establish the work of interdepartmental municipal commissions. We very much hope that, together with you, we will be able to organise this work," Anna Tsivileva emphasised.

She also added that the possibility of opening municipal branches of the "Defenders of the Fatherland" Foundation in other regions of Russia is currently being explored.

As noted by Member of the Federation Council Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government and Northern Affairs, Anna Kocherova, the key task at present is to support veterans in integrating into civilian life after returning from the special military operation. This is a comprehensive process that includes social and psychological rehabilitation, employment, retraining and medical assistance.

"Our focus today is on three key aspects: creating conditions for the successful resocialisation of participants in the special military operation; institutional mechanisms and human resource capacity; and engaging participants in the special military operation in public and sporting activities and in patriotic education of young people," Anna Kocherova stated.

Chair of the State Council Commission for Supporting Combat Veterans – Participants in the Special Military Operation and their Family Members, and Governor of the Astrakhan Region, Igor Babushkin, shared regional experience in organising work with veterans. He emphasised that the task of municipal authorities is to reach every participant in the special military operation within their territory: "It is important to be the first to welcome them and to keep them within close attention. This is the key condition for the social integration of participants in the special military operation."

The 3rd All-Russian Municipal Forum "Small Homeland — the Strength of Russia" is an annual event held on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to discuss current issues related to the development and support of municipalities. The organiser is the All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government, with the support of the Presidential Executive Office of Russia.