478 war veterans participated in Russia's United Russia primary elections

Russia's ruling party United Russia has concluded its State Duma primary elections. Among the participants were 478 war veterans, with one in ten managing to secure victory. The party and the presidential administration's political bloc failed to meet its 10% participation target — actual turnout was 9.03% according to official data.

Russia's ruling party United Russia has concluded its State Duma primary elections, during which several notable trends emerged. The party and the Kremlin presidential administration's political bloc set itself the goal of engaging at least 10% of all Russian voters in the process, but this target was not met — official data shows the final turnout reached only 9.03%.

Veterans enter politics

The primaries saw participation from 478 war veterans, with roughly one in ten managing to secure victory against competitors. However, these are not ordinary soldiers — the vast majority are experienced politicians who have already proven themselves on the political stage. According to experts, the Kremlin's aim is to present Russia and the world with a new elite composed of war heroes who would simultaneously be capable of managing state affairs effectively.

Psychological risks in candidate selection

Sources from the media described the situation tersely: within the Kremlin's inner circles, there is discussion about how to ensure that the new politician-veterans do not suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. "We need to show the president a new elite. And make an effort to ensure that it doesn't have PTSD," explained sources from political circles. This reflects broader tensions facing the Russian state apparatus — integrating war veterans into the political elite is a complex task that requires careful selection.