According to the organization’s press service, the initial branches of the fund created to support participants in the special military operation Defenders of the Fatherland began their activities in several regions of the country two days ahead of the official launch. The early openings mark a coordinated effort to bring tangible assistance closer to veterans, their families, and those who have sacrificed for the cause. These first locales set the tone for a nationwide program designed not merely to disperse aid, but to build a long-term network of care that recognizes service with dependable, on-the-ground support.
Branch offices were established across a broad geographic spread, including the Far East, the Urals, the North Caucasus, Siberia, as well as in the Altai and Perm depressions. Regional hubs in the Nizhny Novgorod and Saratov areas, the Komi Republic, and the Vologda, Murmansk, and Pskov regions broaden the fund’s reach. The initiative also extended to the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Region-Yugra, illustrating a deliberate effort to cover remote and challenging terrains where veterans often face gaps in access to services. In addition to these regional openings, ceremonies occurred in major urban centers including Moscow, Kursk, Ivanovo, Lipetsk, Tambov, and the Krasnodar Territory, underscoring the ambition to knit together rural and metropolitan communities under a unified support framework.
To mark the openings, tea gatherings were hosted at the branches, bringing together veterans from the Northern Military District, along with families of those who have fallen. These gatherings served not only as celebratory moments but also as demonstrations of the fund’s infrastructure and capabilities. Guests were given guided tours of the sites to understand how services would be delivered, the kinds of programs available, and the pathways for beneficiaries to access assistance. The emphasis was on transparency, community connection, and the practical steps the fund would take to turn promises into ongoing help on the ground.
The organization noted that social coordinators have been assigned to work at each branch. These coordinators will personally accompany the wards of the fund, helping them navigate the available resources, set up appointments for medical and social rehabilitation, and ensure continuity of care. This hands-on approach aims to reduce bureaucratic friction, speed up the process of receiving aid, and foster lasting relationships between families and the support network. By having regional coordinators stationed in every hub, the fund intends to respond quickly to evolving needs and to tailor solutions to local circumstances.
Additional openings are planned in other parts of the country, with the expectation that new branches will begin operating on May 31. From June 1 onward, the fund’s first working days in all branches nationwide will mark the formal start of its service delivery across Russia. This timeline signals a ramp-up phase during which the program will refine its procedures, expand partnerships, and test its efficacy in different regional contexts. Stakeholders, including veterans’ groups, local authorities, and medical institutions, are anticipated to synchronize their efforts with the fund’s schedule to maximize impact from day one.
Anna Tsivileva, the head of the foundation, described the rapid progress as a response to a pressing national task. She emphasized that less than two months had passed since the decree establishing the fund was signed, and that the organization had already built the necessary infrastructure across every region. Her remarks highlighted the core values guiding the work: fairness, care, and respect. The message conveyed a sense of collective responsibility and optimistic momentum, suggesting that the fund is positioned to become a reliable pillar of support for veterans and their families rather than a passive donor. Tsivileva also noted that the operation’s objective extends beyond providing targeted aid; it seeks to cultivate a broader sense of societal pride in those who have served their country and to inspire confidence in the institutions that stand beside them.
Among the tasks assigned to the fund’s ballot box offices are practical measures to assist veterans in securing all essential forms of support. This includes facilitating medical and social rehabilitation, ensuring access to medications, offering psychological support, and providing rehabilitation equipment and sanatorium treatment when appropriate. The program also addresses retraining and employment opportunities, aiming to reduce unemployment among veterans and help them adapt to civilian life. Should the need arise, the fund stands ready to arrange long-term care for ward residents and to adapt housing to the needs of people with disabilities, ensuring that living environments are safe, accessible, and supportive as years go by. Together, these efforts form a comprehensive approach that covers immediate aid and long-term resilience for those who have served the country. As part of the broader mission, the fund is prepared to coordinate with local services to help veterans secure necessary social benefits and to streamline access to rehabilitative and protective measures as circumstances evolve.
For context, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree establishing the state fund to support participants in the special military operation Defenders of the Fatherland on April 3, 2023. This official move laid the groundwork for a nationwide framework intended to unify and scale assistance for veterans across all regions, with an emphasis on dignity, continuity of care, and responsive governance. The new fund aims to complement existing programs by filling gaps, standardizing processes, and fostering a shared commitment to veterans’ welfare that can be felt in communities from coast to coast and in all the remote areas in between.