Christine Drews Sieger
Russian election authorities have approved nearly 1,600 Ukraine war veterans to run for office as part of a Kremlin push to integrate former combatants into government.
Ahead of next month’s multi-level elections, Russian officials have approved 1,586 Ukraine war veterans to stand for office.
According to Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova, only a fraction of the 1,668 applicants failed to secure a spot on the ballot for federal, regional, and local races, The Moscow Times reports.
The upcoming races represent a concerted political push. The candidate pool features over 200 former soldiers competing for positions in the 450-seat State Duma, alongside a single veteran campaigning for a gubernatorial post.
Interfax reported that Pamfilova expressed high expectations during a news conference, stating, “I’m confident that our voters will show them total support and trust.”
Building a new elite
This major influx reflects an overarching initiative by Moscow to integrate military personnel directly into public service roles.
Reports from March 2025 outlined plans to install as many as 100 war veterans into the State Duma—a target that would grant them over a fifth of the seats in the lower chamber.
President Vladimir Putin previously labeled returning troops Russia’s “new elite,” spurring multiple state initiatives aimed at fast-tracking them into administrative positions.
Pamfilova praised the veteran candidates, describing them as “more than worthy.”
She argued that their presence on the ballot serves as “major proof of the renewal of our legislative body,” according to The Moscow Times.
Ballots and digital votes
While roughly 100 veterans are entering the political arena as independents, the vast majority—1,486 candidates—have received party endorsements.
Authorities, however, declined to reveal which political factions are sponsoring the highest number of veterans.
The campaign follows earlier efforts to bring combat veterans into local government.
In the September 2024 elections, 308 veterans representing the ruling United Russia party won local and regional contests across the nation.
Election mechanics are evolving right alongside the candidate roster. Pamfilova noted that over 2 million citizens have registered to cast digital ballots in the September races, The Moscow Times reports.
Veterans enter the national spotlight
The Kremlin’s effort to turn Ukraine war veterans into a new political elite is also reaching Russia’s highest levels of government.
According to Reuters, the ruling United Russia party placed injured war veteran Vladislav Golovin among its leading candidates for September’s parliamentary election, alongside prominent figures including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
The Reuters report noted that the move reflects President Vladimir Putin’s broader push to bring veterans of the war into politics as part of what he has described as a new national elite.
