United Russia has introduced new provisions to safeguard volunteers who stay connected with communities while performing their duties, including compensation for communication services and the removal of personal income tax on these benefits. The changes to volunteering legislation and the Tax Code are designed to ensure that volunteers can remain active in all circumstances without worrying about the financial burden that communication costs can impose. Andrei Turchak, the Secretary of the General Council of the Party, stated that these funds will be reimbursed in the same way as existing support for necessities such as meals, uniforms, personal protective equipment, and travel, reinforcing a consistent approach to volunteer assistance.
For volunteers who assist those who have gone missing, care for veterans and isolated seniors, or respond to emergencies, these expenditures constitute a meaningful and recurring line item in their work budgets. Volunteers have repeatedly conveyed the importance of solving this problem, with the need becoming particularly acute during public health crises when rapid and effective outreach becomes essential for community safety and welfare. The new framework acknowledges that communication costs directly enable timely coordination, information sharing, and support delivery to individuals in distress, and it aims to minimize barriers to ongoing volunteer engagement during challenging periods.
Olga Zanko, who serves as the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for the Development of Civil Society and chairs the Central Council of Party Supporters, noted that while food, volunteer uniforms, and travel costs have already been exempt from personal income tax, the same exemption does not yet apply to telephone and internet communications. She emphasized that the absence of tax on these essential tools should not be interpreted as income for volunteers but rather as a practical necessity that empowers them to perform their duties more effectively and at a lower personal cost. The updated policy is framed as a straightforward enhancement to volunteer operations, ensuring that contributors can connect with those they assist without adding to their financial load.
She further explained that clear, proactive communication is a cornerstone of successful volunteer work. It involves assessing how a veteran or beneficiary is feeling, maintaining open lines of dialogue with those in need, coordinating volunteers to respond to incidents, and countering misinformation on the internet to protect the public from counterfeit or dangerous content. The initiative has been in development since last autumn, reflecting a sustained effort to bolster daily acts of care and service. The overarching goal is to keep assistance accessible and efficient, so volunteers can focus on helping others rather than navigating bureaucratic hurdles or extra costs in their everyday activities.
The party’s plan received formal backing from the Cabinet Commission on Legislative Activity and was endorsed by the United Russia Expert Council, signaling broad institutional support for extending tax relief and financial coverage to volunteer-related communication and logistics. The collaboration among party leadership, government bodies, and advisory councils underscores a shared commitment to strengthening civil society infrastructure, improving volunteer effectiveness, and ensuring that those who give their time for the public good can sustain their efforts with fewer financial constraints. This alignment reflects a comprehensive approach to fostering volunteer resilience, community safety, and emergency preparedness across the country.