Hello!

I'm Maxim Polyakov, a correspondent for the online magazine ‘7x7’.

On February 29, 2024, Vladimir Putin said: “Participants in the special military operation, hard workers, and warriors should be recognized as Russia’s elite and participate in governance and other major projects.” This statement can be seen as a formal turning point, marking the transformation of participants in the war in Ukraine into a new political and managerial establishment. On March 1, the educational program 'Time of Heroes' was launched to train future politicians and officials. In this newsletter, I will share the details of this program and explain how it includes individuals with criminal backgrounds and even members of the Wagner private military company.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Putin’s Promises

Putin made his first statements regarding the ‘new elite’ while addressing the Federal Assembly. This institution unites State Duma deputies, senators, politicians, scientists, top athletes, and representatives of various religious confessions – essentially what we call the elite. In his speech, Putin outlined who would join their ranks. Here are a few quotations:

• "They should occupy leading positions in the education system, upbringing of the youth, social associations, state-run companies, businesses, and public and municipal governance. They should lead regions, enterprises, and the country's largest projects."
• "You know that the term 'elite' has discredited itself. Those who have not provided any outstanding service to the community consider themselves some kind of upper caste, and I especially mean those who stuffed their pockets thanks to certain economic processes in the '90s. They are definitely not the elite. The real elite are workers and warriors, honorable and reliable people who have proven their loyalty to Russia through their actions."
• “Participants in the SMO [Putin characterizes the war as a 'special military operation'] – soldiers, sergeants, and officers – are already the backbone of our Armed Forces. Those willing to continue their military careers will receive priority for promotions and privileges when applying to command courses, military schools, or academies.”

Three days ago, on May 21, Putin reiterated that the number of war participants among officials and employees of state-run companies would increase. “There won't be many examples initially, but this is just the first step. In the future, we will increase the number of people joining this collective work,” he said.

My colleagues from '7x7' have found several former participants in the war who have already obtained leadership positions, some of them with a criminal past. In the next chapter, I will tell you more about them.

New Elite

Between May 20 and 26, the United Russia party, which supports Putin's actions and Kremlin policies, is conducting its primaries ahead of the September elections. They will elect leaders for regional assemblies and city councils. Special provisions apply to the 'participants in the SMO': they are exempt from recording video appeals, and an additional 25% of votes will be added to their tally during the procedure. United Russia reports that over 18,000 individuals have already registered for the primary elections, with over 200 of them being participants and veterans of the war in Ukraine. Here are four exemplary stories:

Yuri Panov: a criminal, contracted soldier, and candidate of pedagogical sciences. He is running for a seat on the Chelyabinsk City Council and has prior experience as a United Russia deputy. However, he was expelled from the party in November 2023. A few months earlier, in August, his assistants removed all furniture and equipment from the United Russia office, alleging that the assets belonged to Panov. According to the political insider channel ‘Epaulets and Neckties,’ Yuri Panov orchestrated this operation. However, it is claimed that the real organizer was his superior, Deputy Vladimir Burmatov, who held a grudge against the district administration, which housed the United Russia office. The regional party branch's activities were paralyzed for a month until new equipment was acquired. Panov contested his expulsion from United Russia and filed a lawsuit against his former colleagues. He alleged that they took advantage of his absence, as he had departed for military service in autumn 2023, to remove him from the party ranks. On May 6, Panov submitted his application to participate in the primary elections while still deployed in the war zone. In his application, he declared an absence of a criminal record. However, according to Ura.ru, Panov formerly led a gang called the ‘Cossacks’ (under his previous surname, Kazak) in Magnitogorsk. He was convicted for firearms acquisition and sales, kidnapping, and torture, as confirmed by ‘7x7.’ Despite United Russia’s refusal to include him in the primary election lists, Panov remains determined to assert his candidacy for deputy.

Igor Brik: a reserve lieutenant colonel and teacher. He is running for the Chita City Council. Brik is a veteran of the wars in the North Caucasus and Ukraine. He teaches life safety and workshop classes at School No. 55 in Chita. In 2023, he ran for the Legislative Assembly but did not succeed. His goal was to provide war participants with social, legal, and psychological assistance, organize rehabilitation programs for them, and develop courses for patriotic youth upbringing. “We need to educate the young in a way that they understand Russia is alive when it can protect itself,” he said in an interview with Chita.ru. Brik volunteered for war on May 19, 2023, returned in August, and was awarded the medal ‘For Courage.’ In autumn 2023, he received the ‘Calling’ award in the nomination ‘Teacher – Defender of the Fatherland.’ Igor Brik writes poems about war and collects humanitarian aid for military personnel. He regularly conducts ‘lessons of courage’ for schoolchildren at the Chita military history museum.

Alexey Savchenko: a conscript, fisherman, and ‘SMO veteran.’ Alexey Savchenko from the Ust-Belaya settlement in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug applied to join the Anadyr Deputy Council. He is 21 years old and a veteran of the war in Ukraine. In December 2020, he was called up for compulsory military service, and in June 2021, he signed a contract to ‘learn something new about the army and himself.’ He underwent training in Belarus and was deployed to the front lines after the onset of the full-scale invasion. He was awarded the medals ‘For Military Merit’ and ‘For Saving the Dying.’ Savchenko was wounded and had his leg amputated, but this ‘did not cause him any depression.’ Upon returning home, he started working in United Russia as an assistant to State Duma deputy Yelena Yevtyukhova. Together, they visited the wounded in hospitals and held meetings with schoolchildren and students. Savchenko also participates in the ‘TeploZOV-87’ regional movement, which teaches kids to weave camouflage nets, make helmet covers, protective clothing, and trench candles, write letters to military personnel, and ‘create heartwarming crafts.’

Denis Ptitsyn: a member of the Wagner PMC and law student. The 40-year-old Denis Ptitsyn is running for the Kurgan City Council. He holds qualifications as a rescuer and a computer operator. Additionally, after serving in the Wagner PMC, he pursued studies in law. Ptitsyn was enrolled in the resocialization program by the ‘Defenders of the Fatherland’ foundation, which facilitated his remote studies at an Omsk university. On the website of a local court, ‘7x7’ discovered a case record of an individual sharing Ptitsyn's name, residence, and occupation. This individual was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and admitted guilt. Considering his daughter’s illness, the court sentenced him to 400 hours of community service and suspended his driver’s license for 2.5 years. In 2024, he filed an appeal to substitute community service with imprisonment, but it was rejected. Denis Ptitsyn’s namesake was also convicted of engaging in a fight and using obscenities in a public place. The defendant attributed his behavior to intoxication and expressed regret, resulting in a fine of 500 rubles.

Only in Altai Krai and the Republic of Tuva, there are 20 individuals involved in the United Russia primaries, and hundreds of former war participants across the country are aspiring to become deputies.

However, not a single participant in the war in Ukraine made it to the new Russian government. So far, they are only able to run for elections at the city level. Independent political scientist Abbas Gallyamov has explained this phenomenon:

"Putin has just formed a new government. Why didn't he set an example by promoting SMO participants and including any of them in the cabinet? Wasn't there anyone competent enough to at least hold the position of Minister of Sports? Are they even worse than Degtyarev [former Khabarovsk Krai governor, current Minister of Sports]? Putin even demonstratively appointed a civilian as the Minister of Defense, though he could have easily brought in a combat general from the front lines. The president has once again showcased his signature style, speaking pompously about something and then completely forgetting about it."

© Copyright, online journal "7х7"