Secretary of the General Council of the United Russia party Vladimir Yakushev: Mr President,
In 2025, the United Russia party has been implementing the instructions you gave us at the 22ndCongress on December 14, 2024.
One of the most important tasks you set for us was to ensure that as many participants in the special military operation as possible took part in the 2025 election campaign. I would like to report that, following the results of the 2025 Single Voting Day, 890 participants in the special military operation received mandates.
The election campaign was rather heated and large-scale. Legislative assemblies were elected in 25 administrative centres and 11 regions. As I have mentioned, participants in the special military operation received 890 mandates. For comparison, in 2024 this figure stood at 304, which clearly demonstrates significant growth.
All the necessary work you instructed us to carry out has been completed. Several major educational programmes were organised at the Higher Party School.
You also emphasised that every participant in the special military operation taking part in the election campaign must have a mentor at all levels – at the regional legislative assembly, at the administrative centre, and at the municipal level. This approach was fully implemented during the 2025 campaign. We therefore believe that the result achieved is precisely the outcome of this well-planned work.
Today, our main task is to prepare for the 2026 Single Voting Day, which will include a major election campaign: the elections to the State Duma.
In addition, elections will also be held for legislative assemblies of the regions and administrative centres. Consequently, there is a great deal of serious and extensive work ahead, which we began the next day after the 2025 Single Voting Day concluded.
The next task you have outlined is for us to put our People’s Programme in conformity with the Presidential Executive Order On National Goals and in conformity with national projects. This work has been done. We have amended 36 sections of our programme and have put all of this in conformity with those documents during this year.
Moreover, the programme has acquired a separate sub-section related to participants in the special military operation and their families. It is being headed by Hero of Russia Vladimir Saibel.
Therefore, we are active in this area within the framework of the effort we pursue through our party members at the State Duma and the Federation Council. The aim is to enshrine this sub-section with its 13 areas in legislation.
I would like to say that, since the beginning of the special military operation, we have managed to resolve the main issues jointly with the Defence Ministry, the Russian Popular Front, and the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation. Other issues will probably pop up later on, issues that will have to be finalised, but here we already have a well-established scheme. Therefore I am certain that we will carry out this work.
In this context, I would like to note that when it comes to legislative initiatives aimed at supporting participants in the special military operation and their families, we vote practically unanimously. I mean that, as a rule, we have no party debates on these matters.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Since the people who come to work in the government agencies are people, who were personally involved in the fighting, I think they will keep the issue of supporting the servicemen themselves and their families under their special control.
Vladimir Yakushev: We can already see it, Mr President, because the first participants in the special military operation joined local legislatures in 2023. And it is already obvious that they are actively involved in this work and are really contributing to the effort. We see and feel this today.
Another important point you have outlined is how our grassroots operate. It is the grassroot organisations that work on the ground and are aware of the people’s needs. And it is from them that we should get signals pointing to what is of concern for the people.
Thus, 2024 was largely dedicated to strengthening our grassroot organisations and branches. However, this work continues this year too. We have already established grassroot organisations’ councils in every region, as well as a federal-level council. In line with your instructions, we will continue to step up efforts in this area.
Regarding the 2026 election campaign, we are actively developing a clear strategy for its execution. Work has already begun to ensure that the new initiative, tentatively titled People’s Programme 2.0, accurately reflects the priorities and feedback from the local level. But before that, as you also emphasised at the Congress, we must carry out a major campaign to report on the previous programme – the one that will conclude in 2026.
We also plan to carry out this work in every region of the Russian Federation, providing an honest account of our achievements and identifying the challenges we have encountered, whether for objective or subjective reasons, and drawing the appropriate conclusions.
Vladimir Putin: Is the volunteer work continuing?
Vladimir Yakushev: Yes, Mr President, both the volunteer work and the humanitarian mission are ongoing.
As far as the humanitarian mission is concerned, since the start of the special military operation, United Russia has delivered 140,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to our historical regions and the border areas of the Belgorod and Kursk regions. I would like to emphasise that every regional branch of our party has participated in this effort without exception. The work continues; we will not stop and will keep on with it as long as it takes to achieve our common victory.
Regarding the volunteer mission, members of the Young Guard, our party supporters, and party members themselves are continuously engaged. They work in hospitals, help the elderly, and participate in the delivery of humanitarian aid. This work will continue for as long as it is needed.
In addition, there was a separate initiative on the Black Sea coast. Around a thousand volunteers, including party members and supporters, took part. During this effort, 3,300 tonnes of fuel oil were removed, and 12.5 kilometres of coastline were cleaned by party members, our supporters and Young Guard members.
We are continuously engaged in this work. In terms of supporting the special military operation and our soldiers, we have been providing the necessary aid and will continue to do so.
Vladimir Putin: Thank you.