Hello and welcome to Vlast! This is a special edition newsletter about the military veterans elected last month to Russia’s State Duma. We analyze their backgrounds, biographies and beliefs in a comprehensive dossier that is available exclusively to paid subscribers.
President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly described Russian soldiers as the country’s “true elite.” In a meeting last year with the leaders of political parties, he even said: “They will be our successors. We should think about that.”
Ukraine war veterans have been gradually elevated to senior political positions for several years now, but the parliamentary elections last month were the biggest “injection” yet of military personnel into civilian government. According to Vlast’s calculations, 38 veterans now sit as deputies in the State Duma.
What do we know about them? What did they do in Ukraine? Which political parties do they represent? What impact will they have? And, most crucially, could any of them end up as Russia’s next leader?