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This is Maksim Polyakov from the online outlet 7x7. The “Defenders of the Fatherland” Foundation was established in May 2023 by decree of Vladimir Putin. In 2023–2024, the Russian government allocated more than 28 billion rubles from the federal budget to support the organization, with over 25 billion more planned for 2025. The foundation's mission is to support people returning from the war in Ukraine and their families. There are regional offices in every part of the country. In Sverdlovsk Region alone, the foundation received more than 48,000 assistance requests over two years. In this letter I explore how the government is quickly addressing the needs of war veterans, while ordinary citizens are often left waiting years for similar support.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

An Apartment for a Medal: Why War Veterans Get Housing Before Orphans

Sergey Zudov, who returned from the war, was helped by an employee of the "Defenders of the Fatherland" Foundation — first to obtain his veteran ID, and then to get social housing. In addition to free apartments, veterans are eligible for other benefits.

For example, in the Sverdlovsk region, a so-called "SVO veteran" can receive a one-time regional payment of 200,000 rubles for the purchase of a land plot. This benefit is granted only to those who have received at least one state order — such as the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" or the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. The benefit also extends to relatives if the soldier has died.

In April 2025, the head of the Sverdlovsk branch of the foundation proposed expanding the list of eligible recipients to include all military personnel awarded any state medal.

Many groups in Russia are eligible for state housing, one of them being orphans. There are currently 187,500 orphans in Russia without a place to live. Human rights advocate Alexey Golovan, head of the charity center "Involvement in Fate," stated that the average wait time for a government-provided apartment is seven years or more — in some regions, up to 12–14 years.

In Yekaterinburg alone, 1,800 orphans are on the waiting list; in other towns and villages of the region, there are 6,700. Of them, only 1,200 people will receive apartments in 2025. One major reason for such long wait times is underfunding: the federal government allocates just 10 billion rubles annually, while regional authorities must find additional funds from their own budgets.

Disability Without Delay: Veterans Get Approved Instantly, Others Go to Court

Nearly every post on the VK page of the Sverdlovsk branch of the “Defenders of the Fatherland” Foundation proudly states that staff helped an "SVO veteran" obtain disability status. There are no public figures on how many soldiers were officially declared disabled through this support.

To be recognized as a person with a disability in Russia, one must undergo a medical and social assessment. Typically, a healthcare facility refers to the patient, but individuals can apply directly after obtaining a refusal letter from their clinic.

After being granted disability status, individuals must regularly confirm it every year or two, unless they are granted a permanent (lifetime) status — typically reserved for women over 55, men over 60, or those with severe health conditions.

Veterans who return from Ukraine with serious injuries, wounds, or concussions are granted lifetime disability status.

According to Linh Nguyen, a lawyer with the disability rights organization “Perspektiva,” there is a general policy in Russia to minimize the number of official disability certifications. This allows the government to save on benefits, rehabilitation devices, and services.

Many civilians have to prove their disability status in court or turn to high-level authorities. One example is a woman from Yekaterinburg who was denied disability status for her child. She ended up writing to the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin. Without the official paperwork, she has to buy all the necessary medications with her own money.

Wheelchairs by Status: War Veterans Get Tech and Ramps, Others Get Rejections and Lawsuits

Soldiers returning from Ukraine often suffer serious injuries and are unable to walk. "7x7" found nine VK posts from the Sverdlovsk branch of the "Defenders of the Fatherland" foundation describing how employees helped "SVO veterans" get wheelchairs. Some even received all-terrain or electric-powered wheelchairs. The foundation also donated hand-controlled vehicles to several veterans.

Foundation staff assist families in adapting homes to the needs of injured soldiers. In Nizhny Tagil, a ramp was installed outside a veteran's home by the foundation and local authorities. They also helped the family buy a hospital bed, wheelchair, hoists, upgrade the bathroom, and install a smart home system.

Ordinary Russians — those who didn’t fight — have to turn to private charities for help. Many families can't afford medicine, wheelchairs, or other necessary equipment. This includes not just adults, but also families with children.

In Irbit (a town in Sverdlovsk region), the regional branch of the Russian Social Fund failed to provide a 12-year-old child with a wheelchair in 2024. The family had to appeal to the prosecutor’s office to obtain it.

A resident of Nevyansk (also in Sverdlovsk region) died before the authorities approved installing a ramp in his building. It took two years after his death for the entrance to be renovated.

War-Time Admission: How Military Quotas Cut Chances for Regular Graduates

Since late 2022, participants in the war in Ukraine and their families have been eligible for university and college admission quotas. Schools are required to reserve at least 10% of their budget-funded spots for them.

In 2024, the Sverdlovsk coordinator of the “Defenders of the Fatherland” foundation helped a veteran named Dmitry (last name unknown) get disability status and enroll in a university program for 3D modeling. According to regional head Ildar Yakupov, around 200 people have contacted the foundation in two years asking for help with education — either for themselves or relatives.

In the 2025–2026 academic year, Ural Federal University (UrFU) increased the number of quota-based spots for war participants and their families to 761 — up by 118 from the previous year. Of these, 673 were for full-time study.

Most often, it is the children of "SVO veterans" who use the quota. In 2024, 203 people enrolled in UrFU via this benefit — 26 of them were soldiers, the rest were their relatives. Veterans without valid standardized exam scores can take internal university tests instead.

According to the Sverdlovsk region’s Ministry of Education, since the start of the war, 45 veterans and 2,000 of their children enrolled in regional colleges and tech schools, while 500 veterans and family members entered universities.

These military quotas reduce the number of budget-funded places for other applicants. In 2025, the number of such places in Sverdlovsk region dropped by 11.5%. Meanwhile, tuition fees keep rising. In Yekaterinburg, the average cost of full-time study rose by 37% — from 145,933 rubles in 2023 to 200,929 rubles in 2025.

More high school graduates are choosing colleges. In 2023, the competition for some programs was two applicants per seat; by 2024, it had grown to six, depending on the school’s ranking. Colleges offer more budget places and lower tuition than universities. Plus, graduates can quickly find skilled work — there’s a labor shortage. This trend is seen across most Russian regions