Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed amendments to be made to the law by April 1st, in order to grant combat veteran status to participants of special military operations (SMO). This announcement was made by the Kremlin’s press service.
According to the document, participants of SMO will be eligible for combat veteran status regardless of whether they have a contract or not.
The head of state has also instructed changes to be made to the country’s regulatory legal acts, stating that SMO participants can obtain veteran status based on documents confirming injuries, wounds, traumas, or illnesses.
Additionally, combat veteran status can be obtained based on award materials, such as copies of state or departmental awards, as highlighted by the president.
Prior to this, Anton Orlov, the director of the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Political Issues, stated that Russia should provide financial compensation to veterans who have received paid higher education. According to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, approximately one thousand participants of SMO enrolled in universities for the 2023/2024 academic year.
Earlier, the State Duma proposed increasing the number of candidates eligible for the “Veteran of Labor” title.
