Putin's Roundtable Discussion with Employees and Wards of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation

The meeting was held at the United Center for Support of the members of the SVO and their Families, which is the Moscow branch of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation. Putin was given a tour of the facility. References are made to International Women’s Day on 8 March that serves as Russia’s Mother’s Day.

It’s too bad the camera couldn’t get everyone into the picture. However, in the photo file provided are pictures of these women so they can be matched with their names in the transcript. Once you read their stories, many will want to “meet” them. As usual, Putin’s aim is two-fold: To commiserate and support each of these women by hearing their stories and asking them to provide suggestions to improve their work and their working conditions. The Moscow Center where they’re at is touted as the national template for such centers. Comparatively, Trump/Musk are planning to axe 80,000 VA workers at the already sub-standard VA organization within the Outlaw US Empire—throwing veterans under the bus. Putin has raised the level of care for Russian Vets to the level it ought to be at and formed the organizations to support that effort, Defenders of the Fatherland being the main one, while interacting with others. Those who have read previous Gym reports on Putin’s interactions with Vets will be familiar with the amazing levels of patriotism displayed, while those who haven’t will get a glimpse into why Russia is different from the West, especially the Outlaw US Empire. Theres’s no video of this event, just the words and photos:

Vladimir Putin: Dear friends, good afternoon!

First of all, I would like to say that we are meeting on the eve of March 8. The holiday is very warm, in our country it is always celebrated with special attention to women, to everyone: mothers, girlfriends, wives, colleagues. I congratulate you all on the upcoming holiday. It is always associated with spring and updates. Good, good, joyful holiday.

But here today I also see women in military uniforms. This means that among us–-and today at our meeting–-are all those who are directly involved in the special military operation. Special thanks to you, a low bow for your choice. We have women in general and among medical workers, specialists in other areas of military service, and even right on the front line are not so rare.

Among other things, we are in the rehabilitation center of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation. Of course, this is probably one of the best [centers] in the country, but this is not the case now–-although it is very important, and I hope that colleagues from other regions will look at how this is done in Moscow and take an example from this.

But the fact is that the meeting, as I understand it, is mainly attended by women who are somehow connected with the activities of these funds, in one way or another connected with the activities of our guys, fighters who fulfill their duty to the Motherland, to Russia on the line of contact. There are mothers, wives, and friends here, probably our guys.

I also want to tell you–-of course, we all know this very well, it has always been so—that the home front for a man, especially for a military man who risks himself, risks his life, the home front is always one of the most important components of motivation in order to fight and achieve victories.

And of course, I am sure that–-as they say in such cases, there are no unbelievers in the trenches–-there are probably no men who do not think about their family, do not think about their women, about their sisters, mothers, wives, girlfriends. This is a very important component of everything that is currently happening in our country, everything that is happening in the direction of protecting the interests of Russia.

I will not make long speeches or monologues. Perhaps it would be better if I listened to you directly on the work of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation, on the areas you are working on, and in general on the situation that is developing—unfortunately, sometimes it is tragic for families and for our children. Injuries and losses are all related to the fighting, and these are the conditions in which we have to live today and strengthen our country. You feel it better than anyone else.

I am at your disposal. If there is something you would like to say, and I'm sure there is, please talk to me.

I once again congratulate you on the upcoming Women's Day on March 8.

Anna Tsivileva: Mr President, you are absolutely right. Our employees who work in the branches of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation are present here.

All of them came from different parts of our country. There are wives and mothers of our heroes here, as well as those who have lost their loved ones. There are our wards here, as we call them–-active military personnel, also women, whom we would like to congratulate. Everyone here has their own story.

In total, we have 3,800 social coordinators who work in our branch of the foundation, and 700 of them are directly family members of participants in a special military operation. I would like to give them the floor, because they also want to tell their story and ask questions.

Anna Slugina: Good afternoon, Mr Putin. I'm Alain's Servant. I am from the Republic of Mordovia, the widow of Captain Grigory Slugin, Hero of the Russian Guard.

I want to tell you a little bit about our acquaintance. Grisha and I met at the Unified State Exam. Soon Grisha entered the Ryazan Higher Command School. At the very beginning of our conversation, he told me that his whole life would be devoted to serving the Fatherland and that he would spend most of his time in the service. Then he asked me if I was willing to share his choice with him. And I answered without hesitation that yes, I was ready.

From the first days of the beginning of the special military operation, Grisha took part in the 76th Pskov Division, performed combat tasks, and his comrades always spoke of him as a competent, responsible and courageous commander. In one of the battles, he covered his comrade-in-arms with himself. The shell that landed next to them exploded, covering them with earth. Back then, in that battle, it was only the two of them who were still alive. Grisha was twice awarded the Order of Courage, the medal "For Courage". In our last conversation, he told me that his awards are also my awards.

Unfortunately, on September 26, 2023, Grisha died while performing his military duty. Only a year later I found the strength to go further, I decided to return to my native republic. Now I work in the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation, I help the families of the dead and war veterans just like me.

It is a great responsibility for me to bear the proud title of my spouse-–the spouse of the Hero of Russia. My work at the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation is also a continuation of my husband's work: to serve the Fatherland and the people.

Vladimir Putin: First, I must say that the 76th Pskov Paratrooper Division is staffed by what we call the elite of the Armed Forces. Even today, they are fighting in the highest degree with dignity, courage and heroism. Apparently, your husband was there for a reason. They work with children, select them there, and they justify their purpose.

Of course, unfortunately, such tragedies occur, and no armed conflict is complete without them. But it is very important for us to help those who need support, I mean the children who were seriously injured, and to help their families. [Putin recently has taken to calling most soldiers children for to him that’s what they are since he’s 70 years-old.] We've just been talking. Olga [Chebneva] had a very correct idea here: we should, of course, at the first stages, right from the very first days, provide a variety of types, including, possibly, psychological assistance, to the relatives of the injured children, especially those who died. You're doing it very correctly, that's one thing.

Secondly, the fact that everyone here is engaged in this work is extremely important for everyone, first of all, of course, for our children who are fighting, for their families. Because your direct, personal involvement in the fate of people–-and you, I must say bluntly, I don't want to use this word, but nevertheless you are also victims, you are just the people who went through this, missed everything through your heart.

And trust is very important here, the trust of those with whom you work. The fact that you continue this work despite a serious psychological trauma is very healthy and very important. I want to thank you for that.

Have you returned to Mordovia?

A. Slugina: Yes, I have returned to Mordovia.

Vladimir Putin: Where did you live?

A. Slugina: In Pskov.

Vladimir Putin: Did you live in Pskov, right next to it?

A. Slugina: We just moved to Pskov, moved in September [2021], and in February a special military operation began. After the death of my husband, I lived in Pskov for another year.

Vladimir Putin: Where do you live in Mordovia?

A. Slugina: In Saransk.

Vladimir Putin: In Saransk? What do you have there, an apartment?

A. Slugina: Yes, an apartment.

Vladimir Putin: I have an apartment. What about your husband's parents?

A. Slugina: They live in the village where my husband was born.

Vladimir Putin: Where is it, in the same place, in Mordovia?

A. Slugina: Yes, in the Ardatovsky district.

Vladimir Putin: How are they doing, living conditions there for them, for their parents? Is everything okay?

A. Slugina: I have everything, thank you.

Vladimir Putin: And your main job is with the foundation, right?

A. Slugina: Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation.

Vladimir Putin: I see, I see.

A. Slugina: The head of the republic supports us well and helps us.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, I talked to him not so long ago, I know. Thank you very much.

Do you have any suggestions for organizing the foundation's work? Or is everything generally set up there?

A. Slugina: Everything is in order.

Vladimir Putin: And here [in the Moscow branch] Have you looked or walked around?

A. Slugina: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: Well, probably here…

A. Slugina: It's cool here.

Vladimir Putin: Cool, right? This is Sergey Semyonovich [Sobyanin].

You've been here and seen it, and you can see how it's organized. The heads of regions do not feel sorry for something there, they did not do something as they did here... We need an example, we need to replicate it. When you return to your seats, our meeting will now be announced, my colleagues in the regions will see this, and they will be happy to help organize it as Sergei Sobyanin did here in Moscow. You just need to tell them exactly what to do. And I will ask them to meet with you and "remove" information about your impressions of the Moscow branch.

A. Kocherova: Good afternoon again! My name is Anna Kocherova, I'm from the Belgorod region.

Living on the borderlands and feeling the whole situation, in September 2022, three men of our family left for their own. The first is a spouse, a combat veteran, and a participant in the Chechen campaign. Then my younger sister's husband left, and a week later my brother left. On December 6, 2022, my brother unfortunately died and was awarded the Order of Courage. And since June 1, 2023, I have headed the branch of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation.

The transition, to be honest with you, was very difficult, because the first working day coincided with events: intense shelling of our city began.

I worked as a deputy head of the administration of the Shebeki district. I couldn't accept that at this moment, in this difficult moment, I had to leave my colleagues, my team, with whom I had worked for many years. I helped place people, evacuated them, and resettled them in other regions.

And you know, only over time, after a few days, I realized that my help should be in another way: I should take over all the families of the participants of the SVO, surround them with care and attention, thereby giving them the opportunity, freeing up other structures to work there. So my new life began. And it's not a job, it's really a life, it's a mission given by God.

Vladimir Putin: Yes. You've just found the exact word. This is a mission given by God. But you also had some experience in administrative work, so you found your way around it.

A. Kocherova: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: Because in such situations and places like a snowball or a waterfall–-you don't know where to run or what to do. I understand that perfectly. And you were able to get your bearings precisely because you had experience in administrative work.

A. Kocherova: Most likely, yes, it helped.

Vladimir Putin: That's right, it's true, of course.

A. Kocherova: We help the guys a lot: this includes prosthetics, rehabilitation, and adaptation. But the most important thing, as I have already said, is to find them their place in life, help them with their work, and maybe start their own business. In 2024, at the initiative of our governor, we started implementing the "Time for Your Heroes" project. As part of this project, we trained children in entrepreneurship. As a result, business projects were defended, and they received grant support for the development of their business.

We have great projects and social contracts. Families with incomes below the subsistence level receive funding for opening sole proprietors and maintaining private farms. But, unfortunately, our guys who returned, they received payments for injuries, payments for dismissal, [but] they do not fit into this category.

Vladimir Putin: They don't fit the category of people in need.

A. Kocherova: Yes. They are not recognized as poor. Is it possible that some of these funds are either quotas for such families, or allocated to grant support?

Because many young people do not want to return to their previous workplace, they have become more confident and ready to start and run their own business.

Vladimir Putin: Anna, what’s your patronymic?

A. Kocherova: Mikhailovna.

Vladimir Putin: Anna Mikhailovna, you correctly said that this area of work was invented several years ago, in a difficult situation, and even earlier we started developing this area of activity–-supporting small businesses for people who find themselves in difficult life situations and have an income below the subsistence minimum.

Indeed, our guys who return from the front do not fall under this category, but this does not mean that the work you just mentioned cannot be organized for them under a social contract. Because in fact, they are also in a difficult life situation, especially if they were seriously injured. Therefore, it seems to me that there is no need to create anything separately, no separate grants there, so as not to weigh down the entire structure. And now, after all, there will be bosses, offices, and so on. But it is possible to allocate separate areas under the social contract within the framework of this program and simply increase funding. [Finding info about Russia’s social contract in English just gets you negative propaganda about Russia. This site is in Russian and provides an accurate description of the social contract and how it works.]

We'll do it. To be honest, I can already see that we did the right thing by meeting you. Why? Because you face this in life and from there you get questions and problems that need to be solved.

You just can't think of it from the outside, you know? It is and is, works and works. And indeed, it also applies only to those who have a small income.

The program works generally well for this category of people whose income is below the subsistence level, and it generally works well. There it is divided in different directions, but people take almost 50 percent of all allocated resources to open their own small business. And this, as a rule, turns out. So, of course, for our guys… There are 350 thousand, in my opinion, right?

A. Kocherova: 350, yes, and 250 for the management of private farms.

Vladimir Putin: Yes. Therefore, we definitely need to make a separate direction for our guys who are returning from the contact line. We'll do that, I've marked it.

A. Kocherova: Thank you.

Nikolai Linnik: Hello, Mr President! Linnik Natalia, I'm from the Donbass. I am a mother of three children, I am the social coordinator of the foundation.

In 2014, the Ukrainian authorities intimidated us that our children would be locked up in the basement. The men in my family said: no, it won't happen. My brother, my husband--a miner—stood up for the defense of Donbass. In 2015, unfortunately, my husband died, my brother continued to serve, having 24 fragments inoperable, 4 of them in the head, he continued to serve. In 2022, he received another injury and died.

My son, a student, came to the military enlistment office in 2022, was mobilized and stood up for the defense of Donbass. Thanks to you, Your Decree, students were able to…

Vladimir Putin: We have returned them.

N. Linnik: I went back to school and finished my education.

Vladimir Putin: Which university or what?

N. Linnik: [Mykhailo Donetsk National University of Economics and Trade] Tugan-Baranovsky in Donetsk.

We are very grateful to you for creating this foundation, for the fact that I can help families like mine. Guys who served from 2014 to 2022 come to us. These are guys who have not reached the age of 30, they have combat experience, they have a certificate of a combat veteran. But when they come to the military enlistment office to get a Russian-format military ID, they are issued a summons for conscription. In a feminine way, I don't think it's fair.

My last joint decision with my husband was to adopt a child who was abandoned by his parents. My husband died, but I still got custody of the child, and so my family had three children: two sons and a daughter.

My youngest son Vitalik–-I can't say that he is a ward, this is my son–shared with me that he has two dreams. My first dream is to win as soon as possible. My second dream is to meet with the President.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, help me realize my son's dreams.

Vladimir Putin: Yes. As for the first one, we are all doing it, and so are you. I want to say this right now, because your work also brings victory closer.

N. Linnik: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Just to make it clear, this is true–-this is not an exaggeration, because your work contributes to the consolidation of society around our children who are fighting, around the Motherland. Your work is focused on this and solves this problem. And this is the most important condition for achieving success, I say quite responsibly.

I don't want to go into the distant history now, but in Russia this did not work out during the First World War, society began to fall apart, to decompose. Now we will not say for what reasons. But the fact that our country did not reach victory in just a few months was due to the disintegration of society. And you, your work, your position, and most importantly, it brings the country together. This is one of the main conditions for achieving success.

So we will definitely meet again.

N. Linnik: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: When I tell my colleagues that Anna Yevgenyevna [Tsivileva] will check it out, we will definitely do it.

What is your son's name?

N. Linnik: Vitalik.

Vladimir Putin: How old is he now?

N. Linnik: 11 years old.

Vladimir Putin: Very well, we have agreed.

Remark: Vladimir Vladimirovich, and ours too…

A. Tsivileva: For some event.

(To A. Tsivileva.) Vladimir Putin: Yes, Anya, let's do that. Do you know what kind of event? Very simply–-Victory Day.

Remark: All children dream of seeing you in person.

N. Linnik: Victory Day is generally easy…

Vladimir Putin: That's fine. Come on, Victory Day, parade and meeting. Agreed?

Reply: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: We've agreed, and we'll do it.

About summonses for military service [to those who have been in a combat zone] - well, of course, this is nonsense. You know that we don't send conscripts to the war zone. But summonses for military service are also probably superfluous for those who have already been to the front.

N. Linnik: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: I marked it for myself. We will resolve this issue.

N. Linnik: Thank you very much.

Thanks to the foundation, I feel at home when I come to work. It means a lot .

Vladimir Putin: I understand. When you lost your loved ones, here you are: a) you are in demand, b) you work directly with people, and they are probably grateful to you. That's one hundred percent, isn't it? The impact is felt, and this is very important, I understand.

So, please.

S. Grishanova: Mr President, hello. My name is Svetlana Grishanova. I came from the city of Birobidzhan, the Jewish Autonomous Region.

I am a mother of two daughters and two wonderful granddaughters. I am a veteran, a military pensioner, a veteran of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, a veteran of military operations. I have many years of experience in the Armed Forces, more than 25 years.

Vladimir Putin: You personally?

S. Grishanova: Yes, I have it personally.

Vladimir Putin: And where did you serve?

S. Grishanova: Since 1995, I have been serving in the Armed Forces as a paramedic, I am a medic, an ensign.

And since the beginning of the special military operation in 2022, I considered it my duty to become a participant and help our guys. I did it only in 2023, I signed a contract and left for the special military operation zone. I was a paramedic of a separate battalion, performing tasks to preserve the life and health of our servicemen. Everyday life was still there, and people were still sick. Participated in the evacuation of the wounded.

We are all from different regions. While serving in one unit, we once discussed how we would come home, how our families would be, and how state support would be provided, and we realized that regional support measures are different in different regions.

It would be very good to define a basic set of social support measures so that it applies to all regions, that is, a single set that does not require large financial investments, but is very significant for all categories of military personnel participating in a special military operation and their family members. For example, it can be free meals from the 1st to the 11th grade, priority enrollment in kindergartens, schools, sports clubs, and psychological assistance is required not only for returning children, but also for family members. This, of course, would greatly help both the servicemen themselves and their families.

Vladimir Putin: You know, Svetlana, we all see that in general, this work is being developed in the regions of the Russian Federation, and the governors respond very vividly to all the needs of the families of military personnel, the military personnel themselves, when they return. But, of course, against the background of quite serious support from the federal level at the regional level, things may not always look so solid. But still, in my opinion, it matters–-regional support.

This is not because anyone is greedy, I am sure that this is not the case at all, I see how colleagues work, the heads of Russian regions, they work with all their heart. I practically don't know anyone who doesn't pay attention to this topic. Everyone is charged and everyone is trying to create the best possible conditions for family members, for the children themselves, who are returning, for example, from the war zone.

But, indeed, in each region it is different. I do not know if everything can be done in the same way, but it is absolutely possible to generalize what is happening in the regions.

S. Grishanova: Yes, there is a certain standard.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, that's right.

S. Grishanova: A basic standard that would apply to all regions.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, we agreed. Because there are kindergartens and schools here. We already have benefits for children who come back, who want to study, and for family members. First, they take our guys, our fighters, for free training, transfer them from paid to free. Conditions are being created for students to enter educational institutions, including higher and secondary schools, and so on. Preferences when applying to kindergarten, school, and so on. But it is clear that everything is different.

I agree with you that it is possible and necessary to generalize and make some general standard. And then you can add something else to this standard, something that your colleagues in the regions consider appropriate and important for this particular region.

Sergey Semyonovich, would you like to add it?

Sergei Sobyanin: Yes, Mr Putin, I support this idea, and we discussed it with our colleagues at the State Council and State Council commissions. Of course, we need some kind of basic standard, but at the same time we need to give the opportunity to regions. If they add, based on the specifics and capabilities of the region, then they should not be banned either. If the basic standard; for example, a year ago it was difficult to determine, because the system was not yet adapted, today in most regions there are basic things, they can easily be fixed as a standard that would be a guarantee at the regional level.

Vladimir Putin: We'll do that. Now what you said should be discussed at the State Council, that's for sure. The State Council is such a structure--(addressing the participants of the meeting), apparently, you know, right?—where we regularly meet with the heads of the regions of the Russian Federation. There we have special groups that work in certain areas. I will definitely ask my colleagues who are involved in this work to carry out this work.

Sergey Grishanova: Thank you very much, Mr President.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you for the idea. The idea is good, absolutely correct, I agree.

Olga Dorokhina: Hello, Mr President, I would like to thank you very much on behalf of everyone present for being able to talk to us, and we very much hope that you will listen to the story of each of us.

I am Olga V. Dorokhina, wife of an officer, mother of the Hero of Russia Vladislav A. Dorokhin, who died on June 21, 2022 in the Ugledar direction.

My son served under contract in the Black Sea Fleet, but when a special military operation began, he wrote a report about transferring him to the 810th Marine Brigade and went to the SVO zone. He died protecting, covering… After giving his comrades the opportunity to retreat, he simulated surrender and blew himself up with two grenades along with the enemy. All the guys were still alive.

Vladimir Putin: The hero is real.

Olga Dorokhina:It was not for nothing that you awarded him the title of Hero of Russia. He grew up in the family of an officer, he can be said to have absorbed love for the Motherland, respect for the uniform, and patriotism with his mother's milk.

Vladimir Putin: How old was he?

Olga Dorokhina: He was 21 years old. He always wanted to be a soldier, he always had a living example before his eyes: Dad.

It took me a very long time to come to my senses. Two years later, I think I found the strength, and I can say that my goal in life is to help the families of the members of the SVO. And now I’m a member of the regional public organization "Hero's Wife and Mother. Crimea", of course, with the support of the head of the republic, we hold–-you can tell a lot, but in general terms—events of patriotic, psychological, and legal orientation.

One of our latest new directions is to help children left without parental care in historical territories. We have already had several trips and will continue to do so, but on our very first humanitarian trip to the Kherson region, we found our daughter. Now she is already in the family, while under guardianship, but we are working on it. For us, this is our sun, you know, in our family.…

Vladimir Putin: How old is she?

Olga Dorokhina: Four years old. A piece of happiness has returned to our family. There is also a younger son, Vladik still had a brother, but he is already a teenager, and who should I babysit, who else should I give love and affection to? Because teenagers are already independent adults.

I would like to express my gratitude to you for the fact that thanks to the foundation, all the support measures… In general, we--mothers, wives, families of the participants of the Free self–defense and the participants of the free self-defense, veterans--feel the care and attention of the state, that we are not alone, we are not abandoned.

I was very much asked to convey my gratitude from all Crimeans for the "Crimean Spring" in connection with the upcoming anniversary—11 years.

My suggestion is in addition to Svetlana's support measures for [Svetlana Grishanova]. For example: Vladislav was 21 years old. Unfortunately, he did not have time to start a family, have children, but he still has a brother, a half-brother, who is not legally a family member of the deceased. He is not subject to social support measures. Even the same one—not in our example, he is already 15 years old—kindergarten, meals at school, children's health camp and admission, preferential admission.

And another category of our citizens is minor children who are not native to our fighters, stepsons. They are also brought up as their own children. I was also raised by my stepfather, and I considered myself native. And it turns out that one child goes to the camp, and the second does not go, because legally, for example, the fighter did not have time to adopt him. Separation…

Vladimir Putin: That is, there was no legal adoption.

Olga Dorokhina: There was no legal case, but in fact it is one family, a native child, a stepson. This is a request from a huge number of families, about minor brothers and sisters–-I don't know, at least the deceased [members of the SVO]–-and stepsons.

Vladimir Putin: What do you mean, "it doesn't apply"?

Olga Dorokhina: He doesn't have any benefits, he doesn't have any food benefits at school.

Vladimir Putin: They also apply to the family.

Olga Dorokhina: He is not legally a member of the deceased's family, nor are his brothers and sisters. Let's say that in our republic, thanks to Sergey Valeryevich [Aksenov], children, stepsons, brothers, sisters, and our children go [on vacation]. But for the most part, they do not have legal status in the country, they do not belong to family members. At least minor children [should be included], please agree. In our case, the brother of the Hero of Russia–-we learned at school about nutrition, we were told: he is a brother, he is not the Hero's child.

Remark: This is exactly the same for admission.

Anna Tsivileva: We resolve these issues in the foundation.

Vladimir Putin: I understood.

Olga Dorokhina: The problem is solved manually in our region. But this is only in manual mode, on an individual basis. Because the law does not provide for this.

Vladimir Putin: First of all, I would like to say that the 810th brigade, where your son served, is…

Olga Dorokhina: Legendary.

Vladimir Putin: It's legendary. The guys are now fighting in a very important area, in a very important area-–in the Kursk region. In difficult conditions, they go forward, despite any difficulties, they perform a combat mission every day.

Olga Dorokhina: He was a sailor who transferred to the 810th.

Vladimir Putin: I understand.

Olga Dorokhina: We refer it to both the Marine Corps and the Black Sea Fleet.

Vladimir Putin: You see, these guys are selected there.

We are now sitting and talking, and the tea is standing…

Olga Dorokhina: Are they there…

Vladimir Putin: Right at this moment, the guys are fighting and performing very complex combat tasks. They are moving forward right these days and liberating piece after piece of our land every day. This shows that your son did not give his life for the Motherland in vain, not in vain. Because everything he fought for is moving, moving forward and being realized–-the goals that he, as a very young man, also, apparently, set for himself.

Olga Dorokhina: Let me add a little more. Probably, for us, especially the families of the victims, the final point–-we are very much waiting for the victory. It seems to me that our sons will finally rest when there is peace. But only we must reach the end, we must not give in to anyone.

Vladimir Putin: We're not going to do that. We must choose for ourselves a version of peace that would suit us and that would ensure long-term historical calm for our country. We don't need anything else's, but we won't give up our own. And we need such an option, one that would ensure the stable development of our country in conditions of peace and security.

Thank you, Olga Valeryevna, for paying attention to these things. You see, such subtle things, they don't come to mind right away…

Olga Dorokhina: It's just a matter of experience.

Vladimir Putin: ... to those who write the rules and laws. It only gives life. The fact that you said that your brother is not covered by any support measures is some nonsense.

Olga Dorokhina: Yes, he is 15 years old. At least for minor brothers and sisters [extend].

Remark: And for admission? He's going to enroll right now.

Vladimir Putin: And as for the children who were not adopted, but who were family members, I also fully agree. Here, there are generally accepted methods of proof in any legal regime. There is such a formulation: they lived and kept a common household–-for the husband and wife. But it's the same here. We'll definitely check it out.

Reply: Thank you very much.

Vladimir Putin: Anna Yevgenyevna, you should also mark it for yourself, and then we'll talk about it later.

A. Tsivileva: Yes, we have marked it, but I would like to emphasize once again that these are families that live in a legal marriage.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, I understand. Let's say someone has a child from their first marriage, and a woman can have a child from their first marriage.

Olga Dorokhina: That's exactly what I mean. Maybe I'm just worried…

Vladimir Putin: As I understand it, I have a child from my first marriage, but he is not adopted by my husband.

Olga Dorokhina: Half-brothers and sisters.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, or brothers, I understand. I marked it for myself, we will definitely finish it.

Olga Dorokhina: Thank you very much.

Natalia Tsyganova: Hello, Vladimir Vladimirovich!

I am Nadezhda Tsyganova, Pskov city, social coordinator of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation. Mother of four children, choral conductor, vocalist and recently a widow, the widow of Alexander Tsyganov, a regimental priest of the 76th Division who died in 2022.

My husband and I met in 2008 under the arches of the Trinity Cathedral in Pskov, and I saw him off under the arches of the Alexander Nevsky Military Church. In fact, my husband's entire ministry was connected with the warriors. He saw a great deal of meaning in this and was with them everywhere, both in word and deed. Not being a paratrooper, he skydived with Pervorazniki and landed at the North Pole with scouts, and eventually joined the CSKA skydiving team. By the end of his life, he had 295 jumps.

Of course, when the SVO began, there was no question at all of where he should be. I gave birth to a child in April, he met the baby and went on a business trip.

Vladimir Putin: Together with the paratroopers, with the guys from the Pskov division?

N. Tsyganova: Yes, the 234th Regiment, also named after Alexander Nevsky.

He had several business trips, and in November 2022, he died. He was awarded the Order of Courage posthumously and the Order of Dmitry Donskoy I degree.

When my husband died, I somehow realized that it makes me feel better if I can help someone. I even asked God to send me people, situations where I could be useful. And in 2023, I became an employee of the foundation. We have developed a certain system of work in very close connection with the Pskov Diocese. Clergymen provide spiritual support to military families. These are families, and where they wait for their men, and where they are lost. Priests of the Pskov Diocese are being trained to work properly with such special people.

And another category of such care of Pskov priests is the foundation's employees themselves, because these people have a huge psychological burden.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, we have a very dear and touching moment in our family that I would like to share with you and with everyone present. Father Alexander, when he was on a business trip, sent our five-year-old son a wonderful poem. With your permission, I want to read it in memory and in honor of our great men. Allow me?

Vladimir Putin: Please.

Natalia Tsyganova: I'll get up, because you can't read while sitting down.

"To be a man, it is not enough for them to be born.

To be iron, it is not enough to be ore.

You've got to melt down, break up,

And, like ore, sacrifice yourself.

What storms have overwhelmed the soul,

But you're a soldier, and you can accept everything:

From a woman's kiss to a bullet,

And learn not to back down in battle.

Readiness for death is also a weapon,

And you will use it once…

Men die if they have to,

And so they live for centuries."

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you. (Applause.)

He sent you this straight from the war zone, didn't he?

Natalia Tsyganova: Yes, he found a collection of poems somewhere in a ruined building and sent it. And now this poem lives in our family, it is sacred to us. This is a poem by Mikhail Lvov, a poet of the Great Patriotic War.

Vladimir Putin: The words, of course, are strikingly accurate: accept everything, from a woman's kiss to a bullet.

And how are your children arranged? Four, right?

N. Tsyganova: Four, yes. Everything is fine, everything is fine in our everyday life.

Vladimir Putin: The diocese helps you, doesn't it?

Natalia Tsyganova: Yes, the diocese helps, of course.

Vladimir Putin: Still Tikhon helped?

Natalia Tsyganova: Vladyka Tikhon took a very active part in the life of our family. He was always in touch and asked how we were doing. And, indeed, he helped to finish building the house together with our governor, they somehow took our family under guardianship together.

Vladimir Putin: It's all right, isn't it?

Natalia Tsyganova: Everything is fine, yes. Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: You know, right? – now, I must say directly, the enemy has made an attempt on the life of Vladyka Tikhon?

Natalia Tsyganova: Yes, the Pskov region is buzzing because everyone knew this man, of course.

Vladimir Putin: We've already reached the priests. Although he is not at war with anyone, unlike your spouse.

Okay, that's a separate topic. Do you work for the foundation, in a branch of the foundation?

Natalia Tsyganova: Yes, I work for the foundation. We have set up our own office in the diocesan administration. We meet women there, and my father is invited. A certain priest is assigned to the foundation, and there are two of them now. We have tea parties, conversations, and some pilgrimage trips for social coordinators. They invited us, we had some kind of seminars, some famous priests connected with the Armed Forces from Moscow, came and also gave some of their parting words to our priests.

Vladimir Putin: His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia has also addressed me many times–we meet regularly–-and he has addressed me with questions related to the support of clergymen who are in the Armed Forces–-and there are not only Orthodox, but also Muslims, Buddhists, and Jews there. Do you have any questions in this regard?

Natalia Tsyganova: Mr President, we are with Anna Yevgenyevna [Tsivileva] this was all very quickly resolved.

Vladimir Putin: You just answer like a soldier, like a serviceman.

Natalia Tsyganova: In fact, I was surprised by such a quick response to our problem, which I mentioned. The chairman of the military department in the diocese, Father Alexey, who, by the way, took up the position of my husband also in the 234th regiment, I called him directly and said: "Father Alexey, are you in Pskov? "He says:" No, I'm not in Pskov. I'm there."

Vladimir Putin: Yes, they are fighting, they are cool, they are fighting hard, I know the 234th regiment.

Natalia Tsyganova: And he said: "Please tell the Supreme [Commander-in-Chief] from all of us, from all the priests, that we wish him God's help and the strength to stand up, no matter what."

Vladimir Putin: Thank you. The main thing is that the guys persevered. We will not let you down.

Thank you very much.

Natalia Tsyganova: Thank you.

Tatyana Fedosova: Good afternoon, Vladimir Vladimirovich!

Tatyana Fedosova, Smolensk region branch of the Defenders of the Fatherland State Foundation. My husband is an active serviceman, a combat veteran, a member of the SVO from the very first days, from the very beginning. Now it is located in the Kursk direction. We have three children.

Smolensk is one of the oldest cities in our country, a shield city. Smolensk is the birthplace of the Guard. Once my husband and I decided to go to the church, where our brigadier father became the rector. This is a church built in 1766. The temple has survived two of the worst wars in our history. It is located on the same street as the division headquarters and the military commandant's office. In 1812, the French kept our Russian prisoners there.

Going to the second floor, we saw a cluttered room, abandoned. And then my husband came up with an idea: he suggested creating a temple-museum of warriors here, on the second floor. We began to work closely with the diocese, and during one of the visits to churches by the mothers of the deceased, one mother of a missing soldier said that she felt as if she could feel her son's presence here. Then we realized that we need to ask the mothers of the missing children for some personal item of the missing soldier, or a photo of him. And then, coming to the temple, the mother will feel the presence of her son. She will be able to talk to him here in the church, she will be able to say her motherly prayer to God, she will be able to communicate with the priest. And now mothers of the dead and missing children can be sure that here their sons will find God's home, they have somewhere to come to their sons. Now the temple is being renovated, and we plan to open our temple/museum of warriors at the end of March.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, right now the category of relatives of missing persons is in the most serious condition, with only the unknown ahead of them. They do not know what to expect: their son will get in touch, whether he is found or not, whether he is recognized as dead. Heavy category. The Foundation has started working with relatives of the victims. We have organized work with the military investigation authorities, helping relatives of missing persons fill out a search card and send it to Rostov-on-Don. But they need our full support and care. And according to the charter of the creation of the state fund, they are not our target category, because our target category is dismissed veterans of military operations, volunteers of Donbass and family members of the victims.

And we ask you to consider this issue. Maybe we can include them in our target category. You just need to make a small amendment to the Decree on the creation of the fund.

Vladimir Putin: I totally agree with you. I fully agree that this is a very sensitive category that requires special attention from the state. We have already discussed this topic, and the Ministry of Defense has a proposal on what can and should be done before the final resolution of issues related to relatives, families of children who are listed as missing, what they need to do and how they can be helped with children, some kind of material support, etc. so on.

Anna Yevgenyevna, in my opinion, decisions have been made there, too? Or are they prepared only?

A. Tsivileva: Indeed, the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation has now taken over this function. We receive requests from relatives, and we are now manually collecting genetic material, among other things.

Vladimir Putin: No, it's all very clear. I mean, to support these families. There were suggestions.

A. Tsivileva: There was your decree on payments to children, just minors, of those who went missing. But here the question is a little different. After all, these families sooner or later, after six months, still become our wards. And if the Decree had been amended, we would have been able to accompany them, help them, and provide them with assistance from the very beginning. Now, in general, we do not have such opportunities, so here we are talking about this.

Vladimir Putin: Please prepare this offer.

A. Tsivileva: All right.

Vladimir Putin: And as soon as it's ready, I'll sign it right away. This can be done literally next week.

Tatyana Fedosova: Thank you very much.

Vladimir Putin: Anna Yevgenyevna will prepare it today or tomorrow, and I will sign it on Monday.

Tatyana Fedosova: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you for doing this. This is a very important thing, extremely important. Because maybe it's harder for people than for anyone else.

T. Fedosova: This is the heaviest category, even harder than us. We already know where our children are, and the unknown is the worst part.

Vladimir Putin: This is the hardest part, I understand it perfectly. And let's do it as quickly as possible. Agreed.

Olga Zhmikhova: Good afternoon, Mr President! I am Olga Zhmyhova, an employee of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation, the mother of the deceased Corporal Kirill Shumakov.

Kirill Shumakov was born on May 9 in the city of Donbass. He was a candidate for master of sports, a career soldier, a professional sniper of the GRU intelligence of the 76th division, the 2nd separate special forces detachment. After serving in Syria, he retired to his own service.

Vladimir Putin: They are also currently fighting in the Kursk Region.

Olga Zhmyhova: I know. We visit and help.

On March 8, 2022, the child called and congratulated me on March 8. But on March 28, I learned about the child's death. Almost nothing was known about the details of the death, absolutely nothing at all. And exactly a year later, on March 8, I got a call from his friend from Pskov, a colleague, and agreed to tell me about the events of that day and give me personally in the hands of his personal helmet. For me, it was the most expensive gift.

There was an order to go to the height of the entire detachment, go to the height, take fire on themselves and thereby mark the enemy, the enemy's point. The guys were given three days to make a decision. And everyone knew perfectly well that this was a one-way road. Three friends, three comrades made this decision. They knew what they were doing. My son, call sign "Gimli", from Kursk," Poet "from Krasnogorsk and" Dani " from Tula. They coped with the task, thereby reducing the losses of the squad.

After all the events, I needed to pull myself together, because I have a 15-year-old child, Vanyusha, and my mother. I started going to the front. And before that, I had a meeting with Monk Laurentius, who gave me advice that helped me get up.

The first advice he gave me was: "Olya, learn to be happy for the child. He is with God, at the throne of the Lord, learn to rejoice for him. " And the second advice was-bring good. Since 2022, I began to go to the front to see the guys, to help. First to the SVO zone, now to KTO, in the Kursk region.

In 2023, I was offered to become an employee of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation. I, of course, responded without hesitation. Working with the families of fallen servicemen, we face many problems, but I would like to draw your attention to one of them.

Payments are made to family members of the victims in equal shares for all, as well as for minor children. But there are families, unfortunately, they are socially disadvantaged, and mothers spend the child's payment for the death of their father, without taking into account the interests of their children. And when they become adults, the child has nothing to do, sometimes, and do not have their own housing. That is, my mother spent it the way she wanted.

Therefore, a big request to you is to find a mechanism, protect this payment for these children and resolve this issue so that they are spent in the interests of children, somehow just find this mechanism. Whether it will be some bills, but so that, again, they do not fall under inflation, because they will be for a long time… I think Vladimir Vladimirovich will come up with a mechanism.

Remark: You can use custody.

Vladimir Putin: I don't even have a social question, but a question related to your son. It's hard for me to comment. Guys, of course, are heroes, what can I say? Consciously, when they go to their deaths to save the lives of their comrades, this is the most dangerous thing.… I do not know, I think it is probably possible in many countries, but only in Russia, I think it is possible in this form. Yes, this is, of course, typical for our people.

Here they talked about Smolensk, about the museum, [about the temple] from the time of Napoleon, the invasion of Napoleon. Someone still feels bad. There are still people who want to go back to the time of Napoleon, forget how it ended.

Replica: You can't do it with these guys.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, exactly. That's exactly what I wanted to say. And with such guys as your son and his friends and comrades were, this will not work.

In fact, all the mistakes of our enemies and opponents just began with this--in underestimating the character of the Russian person and in general representatives of all-Russian culture. I meet people of different nationalities from Russia, we still have something that unites all of us, people living on this earth, this is quite obvious.

Olga Zhmyhova: I would also like to thank you, Mr President. I have something to compare it to. When my son died, there were no "Defenders of the Fatherland". And now that we have this fund, we just have something to compare it with. I thank you very much for your idea to create the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation.

Remark: General gratitude.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, this is just like the platform for training children who return from the war zone to get an education, a decent job, and so on, "Time of Heroes", a platform we have made. And even earlier, the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation.

You see, this also comes to mind after communicating with people. After communicating with people, after communicating with family members, with the children themselves. So the idea of the foundation came to mind. They thought for a long time about how to organize it, but in the end, it seems to me that we chose the most optimal options for organizing this work.

As for the questions you raised: all family members, including minor children, receive equal payments there. Is there any way to protect the funds that should be allocated to underage children?

Olga, you asked me to think about it. You know what I'm going to say now, without any irony: we can only think about this together with you. Because you can tell families like this: you know what, you get so many millions from the state for this, so many millions for this, in total, if you look at the circle, there may be more than 13 million, but you don't have the right to spend part of the money. This is immediately as if…

Olga Zhmykhova: No, it is for dysfunctional families.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, I understand. I'm not saying no. I'm not saying you can't do that. But you must understand me, and I am sure that many people will agree with my logic. This means that we don't trust our mothers a priori.

O. Zhmykhova: Dysfunctional.

Vladimir Putin: But how? First, we must recognize them as dysfunctional.

Remark: There is help.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, if already recognized, it is more specific here.

Olga Zhmykhova: If they are registered, so that my mother can be restricted in spending.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, I agree.

Replica: And if you don't, pay attention to what the foundation says, because we see, we go out, we observe. Respond to our here's these…

N. Linnik: So that we can control and see what this money really means…

A. Kocherova: Create a commission, don't just open children's accounts. By the type when the apartment is being sold and there is a part of minors there, but still the parents come to the custody and show the documents that, yes, I sold part of it, but I did not infringe on it. Either I put it in a safe deposit box on the account, or I gave him a square in the same place, in another housing, that is, I did not infringe on my rights.

Remark: No, first the guardianship must give permission to sell his share, and then, within a day, buy in another home…

Vladimir Putin: I understand and agree with you that one of the most important tasks for the state is to ensure the future of children. But, you see, I have already said this somewhere: if a tragedy happens, a person is killed, our comrade is not there–-but we are there, and we must think about his children. I agree.

And if there is a situation where the family is dysfunctional, and, unfortunately, this happens in any society and in ours, too, we must still, if we make this decision, then it should be such that it does not put families in a false position, does not infringe on women, does not infringe on mothers. So that a priori we do not assume that a mother can somehow infringe on her child. You see, there's such a subtle thing here, a very subtle thing.

Sergey Semyonovich, did you have something to say?

Sergey Sobyanin: This is exactly what I wanted to say, as we have already said, that this should not apply to all families, because I think that 99 percent of families do not need such regulation. And as a result, due to the fact that some small proportion of families are problematic, we will begin to interfere with the life of ordinary normal families, which are the overwhelming majority.

Therefore, such measures can probably be taken. But it is just, that's right, those families that are registered as dysfunctional, or at the suggestion of the fund, to create special monitoring, some kind of individual approach. Just like that, to adopt some kind of law–-it will not be very good. I think there should still be some individual solutions.

Vladimir Putin: You know, with all due respect to you, to the foundation as a whole, and to the people who work there, I think it is still dangerous to give the foundation the right to determine the future of the fund.…

Sergey Sobyanin: This is only at the suggestion of the guardianship authority.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, the guardianship authority. That is, the foundation can initiate a question of an appropriate nature and initiate a question before the guardianship and guardianship authorities. And if this is recognized, then we can somehow take some steps in the direction that you propose. Of course, we need to ensure the interests of children, this is quite obvious. Just if a very unfavorable family, like a child to keep somewhere out there, that's the question.

But the idea itself, the very direction of this thought, as it were, connected with ensuring the interests of the child, especially of a small child, is absolutely correct. The main thing here is not to overdo it. We'll think about it, we'll think about it. Anna Yevgenyevna, you also think about it, consult with everyone. Let's make a decision.

A. Tsivileva: All right.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you for coming to this point.

T. Ananicheva: I am Tatyana Mikhailovna Ananicheva, mother of the Hero of Russia and teacher of the school that bears his name, Guard Major Alexander Mikhailovich Ananichev, who died heroically on June 11, 2022 near Izum at the age of 31.

Sasha was once at a Christmas service when he was still a cadet at the Moscow Suvorov School, and he met you there, Vladimir Vladimirovich. It was unforgettable and exciting for him, just like it was for me today.

My son was a loyal friend, a reliable commander and a very caring son, brother, husband and father of two wonderful daughters. And when we lost him, it was very painful, scary and hard. But we must live, live for the sake of his memory, for the sake of our granddaughters, in order to help his colleagues and subordinates, whom we now consider our children. By the way, many of them dream of moving to live with us in the Belgorod region after the end of their service.

And, of course, the native Tamans take care of us, take care of us, and we meet them, feed them homemade cakes, goodies, warm them with parental warmth.

Vladimir Putin: Is this the Taman division?

T. Ananicheva: Yes. We warm them up with parental warmth, accompany them to combat missions, pray for them both alive and well, and wait with victory, of course, to return home.

At school, I hold festivals in memory of the victims and in support of those who are now protecting us, courage lessons and, of course, meetings. I believe that these meetings are very necessary for both our schoolchildren and the children themselves to understand that they are doing the right thing–-protecting us. After these meetings, our children write very heartfelt letters, and my husband and I, together with humanitarian aid, with my all sorts of home-made delicacies, send them to the front. And it is very touching to see how strong fighters take these letters and talismans that children give, and hide them under their hearts.

It's been almost three years since our son died. But those who served him as conscripts and under contract, after learning about his death, come to us to support us and, of course, to honor the memory of their commander.

In the continuation of the question about payments, I would also very much like to contact you with a suggestion. For death payments, include children in the list of relatives–-children who have reached the age of 18. After all, we are all parents here, and each of our children tries to take care of and help them until the end of our days. And these children are left without parents, and without any financial assistance.

Thank you.

A. Kocherova: Vladimir Vladimirovich, Tatyana Mikhailovna and Mikhail Afanasyevich really became a father and mother for the guys who served in the army. They call them that: "father" and "mother". And some children don't have parents, and they come to them as if they were their own.

Vladimir Putin: These are your son's co-workers, right?

Tatyana Ananicheva: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: What kind of school did he finish?

Tatyana Ananicheva: It is first the Moscow Suvorov Division, then the Moscow High Command Combined Arms Division. And since 2012, he served in the Taman Division.

Vladimir Putin: How did you get to Suvorovskoye? Is your husband also in the military?

Tatyana Ananicheva: No, we don't have any military personnel in our family. Only my uncle was a military man, he was a military pilot during the war. My husband also had military relatives who also graduated from the Suvorov school.

He once watched the movie "Officers", and for him it became like… Back then, when he was small, there was no Internet, and it was not possible to watch it many times, that is, he watched it on all channels, where it was, on TV.

Of course, as a mother, it was very difficult for me to send it, and I dreamed that it would not be accepted. (Laughter.) He was from our Belgorod region on the 13th.

Vladimir Putin: Is this the Moscow Suvorov Cemetery?

Tatyana Ananicheva: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: It is very good, very good level of education.

Tatyana Ananicheva: I know that now.

Vladimir Putin: There is a really good level of education, general education.

T. Ananicheva: I didn't doubt it even then, but it was just hard for me as a mother to give it away.

Vladimir Putin: What grade is he from, 8th grade?

Tatyana Ananicheva: Yes, since the 8th grade, then there was still the 8th grade.

With us are those with whom he studied at the Suvorov School and in the High Command, they all take care of us. And the Tamans.

Vladimir Putin: Full contact and support.

T. Ananicheva: Yes. And of course, our governor generally takes care of us all the time, Vyacheslav Vladimirovich [Gladkov]. May God grant him health and strength to withstand all our trials.

And most importantly, to all those gathered – peace from all capital letters and victory.

Vladimir Putin: Yes. Thank you.

As for supporting young people, children—first children, then young people who have reached the age of 18. It is clear what guided the state when first of all they talked about minors. It is necessary to understand how and in what directions the state will be able to accompany other family members who have reached the age of majority.

We all understand that a person becomes an adult, gets on his feet, and gets an education himself. You need to understand where, in what areas you need to accompany, how to accompany, what to do. But I do agree that you need to pay attention to it.

T. Ananicheva: We, as a family, also received payments, we all shared everything equally. As parents, of course, we felt that they should be given to the children. But I think that in every family, if this child is included in the same amount, I think that they will not be offended. Of course, he was left without a parent, and without financial assistance.

Vladimir Putin: It's clear. It's not even about the magnification, but the fact that…

Tatyana Ananicheva: No, they should only be included in the list.

Olga Dorokhina: One child is underage, and the other is already 18, and he is no longer eligible. But he's also a kid.

A. Tsivileva: Mr President, the point here is that parents and minor children become the legal successors of these payments. That is, there is no financial burden on the state, just include adult children in the rights as well, so that they are distributed equally. We have just conducted an analysis, most of these children are students, after all, quite young people are fighting. And even if they are adult children, they are still student children, and they, of course, would also, and rightly so, like to be included in the inheritance. And secondly, for them, these are also important "lifting points" that will allow them to learn and continue their development. That's what it's all about.

Vladimir Putin: Anna Yevgenyevna, write to me, okay?

A. Tsivileva: Yes, it's good.

Vladimir Putin: We will do it. Thank you very much.

A. Tokhchukova: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, I am Tokhchukova Asya Azretovna from the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia. I am the wife of a special military operation participant, a mother of four children. Active participant of a special military operation, combat veteran, nurse and medical psychologist.

In 2022, on February 24, my husband and I watched the news on Channel One, as you, dear President, announced a special military operation in our country. My husband got up and said: I'm going to volunteer. I say: since I have a medical education, I will go as a nurse. He: no, but who will look after the children? In short, he did not inform me, went to the military enlistment office, on February 26, 2022, he left alone with a volunteer detachment. While I was waiting for him, I worked as a clinical psychologist in a psychiatric hospital, and in June 2023, I was offered a job at the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation. I gladly agreed that I could somehow help the fighters at least in the republic. They will return, and I can provide them with medical and psychological assistance.

For health reasons, in 2024, in April, my husband was discharged. I asked him for a long time, but while he was discharged, I asked: When you get home, can I go [to the SVO]? He says: no, you're not going. But I had to convince him that it was my responsibility as much as his. Since the Almighty brought him home, it means that it's time for me to go help our fighters, too. The management of our foundation agreed with tears in their eyes. I went there.

I was on the front line in the Kherson region, in a field hospital. There were various categories of our fighters who serve in the special military operation zone. Looking at them, various categories--these are mobilized, contract soldiers, also "Storm Z", "Storm V" was there, "Redoubt", various categories of our fighters—I would like to ask you that when you return home, the fighters from "Storm Z" receive the status of combat veterans.

Vladimir Putin: They don't get it?

A. Tokhchukova: No. I worked for the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation before I left for the SVO zone. They contacted us at the foundation. But we, since they do not have the status of a combat veteran, cannot, and are deprived of the right to help them. And the guys on the front line are all equal. I looked at them, they support each other, side by side, hand in hand, everyone is trying to support each other there. And they even support themselves psychologically there. Sometimes these fighters don't even need us.

I've heard them say that they believe in God first and foremost. And in the second case, they believe in you. They were talking there: as our President says, so it will be in our country.

Vladimir Putin: And we all believe in them.

A. Tokhchukova: I personally heard from them with my own ears that they are very grateful to you.

And at the end, can I say a few words?

Vladimir Putin: Of course.

A. Tokhchukova: We are invincible, we are strong in spirit, we should be proud, appreciate and protect our Homeland.

Vladimir Putin: If you don't say it better, we will do it.

I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name.

A. Tokhchukova: Asya Tokhchukova.

Vladimir Putin: Asya.

Well, first of all, you told an interesting story. I still don't understand – you're from Karachay-Cherkessia, right? How could your Caucasian husband let you go to war? I don't understand.

A. Tsivileva: At the same time, she is a mother of four children.

A. Tokhchukova: One was six months old when he left, when the military special operation began. And when he came back, she was already talking and running.

Vladimir Putin: It's clear. But these are your children, not foster ones?

A. Tokhchukova: No, I have my own people. 17 years us, 17 years ago…

Vladimir Putin: You will excuse me, of course, the women here will also excuse me, when did you have time? How old are you?" You can't ask like that, I don't expect an answer, but it's amazing. May God grant you good health. I hope not the last kids yet. And what, the husband is sitting there with the children? He's just a hero for you.

A. Tokhchukova: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: So you probably decided that it's better to go to the front than with four children.

A. Tokhchukova: If we don't stand up, who will stand up for our Motherland? When I was in medical school, the director of the college explained to us at each class: if there is a need for nurses in the country, you must stand up [for protection], you are just ordinary soldiers like our men.

Vladimir Putin: You can see how great everything is in our families and in society, such a culture, attitude to the Motherland, to the country, to the people, to the family is passed down from generation to generation. It is in us, it lives inside, it is a part of us.

So who are the kids with? With your husband?

A. Tokhchukova: With my dad.

A. Tsivileva: Vladimir Vladimirovich, Asi's husband is twice a hero. The first hero is him on a special military operation. And the second time the hero, when he stayed behind after injuries with the children and released his wife. She's there now.

Vladimir Putin: You're doing great, really. And you're doing great, and he's doing great. Surprisingly. Give him your best wishes. I'm not being ironic, I really am. Great.

What's his name?

A. Tokhchukova: Timur.

Vladimir Putin: Timur? The real Timur. Tamerlane. Great.

About the status of a combat veteran for people who came from places of deprivation of liberty. For me, too, every time some kind of meeting of this kind – some new things are revealed. I have already said many times that for the country, for the Motherland, for our people, it is not important how a person ended up on the front line. It is important that he is there and actually came there voluntarily-and is fighting for the Motherland. The same goes for [veteran] combat status. We will definitely fix this, I don't see any problems here.

There are some things that are also departmental in nature, but also, in my opinion, are associated with some prejudices. When a person gets injured, they immediately close his criminal record, even remove the criminal record. And among people who are at war, have gone through some difficulties, everything happens in life… We do not take into the war zone people who have committed crimes related to sexual violence against minors, we do not take people who have committed crimes in the field of terrorism, treason and so on, they simply do not exist, they are not in the war zone, they are simply not taken there.

But for people who have committed some kind of offense due to different circumstances (what can we say, we are all human beings, everything happens in life), but voluntarily found themselves in a combat zone, fighting for their homeland—well, they should all be put in the same position. This also applies to the status of a combat veteran. We will definitely do it.

Just recently, I got acquainted with one of the materials, I regularly do this, and I say to the leadership of the Ministry of Defense: "Submit to the title of Hero of the Russian Federation." "Yes, good." Then we talk to one of the managers, and he says, " You can't." I say, " Why?" "And he's from prison." I say ," So what? A person is definitely worthy of the title of Hero." Well, what to do now, so his life has developed. I looked at why he ended up in prison: it happens to be a household item. But he really behaved like a hero, so he was awarded the title of Hero.

And this is the same thing–—the status of a combat veteran, of course, should be assigned to those who are fighting there, and fighting with dignity. We will definitely do it.

A. Tsivileva: I want to explain a little that the draft amendments to the Federal Law "On Veterans", which grants Storm Z such a right, already exist, it is being approved by the Government, only for a very long time. And the crux of the question is, is it possible to speed it up somehow so that it can still be published? Because indeed, you have already said this many times.

Vladimir Putin: I have great contacts, and I will negotiate with both the Government and deputies. Ok? (Laughter.)

A. Tokhchukova: We will be very grateful.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, thank you very much. Thank you for being in the war zone at all. And for your husband, thank you. You also raised me. And for this information. It is very important, this information, because the military personnel who are fighting in the "Z" units, many, the vast majority of them are fighting very well. Everything happens, unfortunately, there are also secondary offenses, then they have a different fate. But mostly they fight very well, both in assault groups and in other areas. Will do. Thank you for noticing this.

Olga Tikhonova: Good afternoon, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!

My name is Olga Aleksandrovna Tikhonova. I am a primary school teacher, psychologist, mother of a wonderful adult daughter—a student at the Moscow Government University and the spouse of the defender of our Motherland. Two years ago, the husband decided that he was going to the front as a volunteer. Naturally, of course, I am infinitely proud of his action and could not help but correspond to it.

I know firsthand how hard it is for a woman to stay at home and continue her daily life and, of course, experience monthly separations from a loved one. Thus, the idea was born to open a center for the development of psychological assistance with the help of creativity "Lisena Art". At first, only women joined us, but over time, there were a lot of requests from men as well. In the future, we began to invite entire families on request.

At the moment, 46 non-indifferent teachers provide all kinds of psychological help and support through creativity every day after their main work schedule. We currently cooperate with two hospitals, where we are always very much expected and very welcome. We try to help families maintain the harmony of internal family relations and, most importantly, of course, help our soldiers in hospitals to accept the reality in which they now find themselves.

Truly, creativity works wonders, and this is an example from my personal family. My daughter and her volunteers sent my father a drawing to the front with the inscription: "Dad, I'm waiting for you at home." It would seem a simple gesture, but it turned out to be magical, having power. When the spouse came on vacation, he shared and told a little story. This drawing helped to survive in very difficult situations. The children were surrounded, even forced to retreat, but the father's desire to return the talisman of children's love surpassed everything. The guys have not only taken their positions, they have successfully gained a foothold and continue to move forward. And today the spouse defends our Homeland with honor and dignity.

On the eve of the most important holiday in our country–-the 80th anniversary of Victory—in the Year of Defender of the Fatherland, my team developed a regulation on the All–Russian patriotic festival, calling it "Dad, I'm waiting for you at home". All age categories can take part in this festival, and this is also no coincidence. Every year I come with my students to our wonderful Sosnitskaya Larisa Dmitrievna—a participant in the Great Patriotic War, who shared with us at the time and told us how she struggled with her fear as a child. She also drew drawings for her father at the front. So today, having the honor and opportunity, I would very much like to address you [with a request] to support our project and this initiative.

Thank you very much.

Vladimir Putin: You are already implementing it, this project. What does it take to replicate and develop it?

Olga Tikhonova: Provide information support and help ensure that all organizations support our idea as much as possible.

Vladimir Putin: Just informational support or financial support in some way? What should be done to make it go, as they say, wider?

Olga Tikhonova: If there is such an opportunity to provide financial support for the purchase of prizes for awarding all the winners and participants of this competition, we would be very grateful and grateful.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, it is not difficult, we will do it. Thank you for the idea.

You know, when I meet with the guys, with our fighters, at least it was so until recently, when you talk about the need for psychological support, some kind of escort, they have a negative reaction: we don't need any psychological support, they will also say that I'm some kind of psycho!

Olga Tikhonova: That is why when we come to the hospital, we already try…

Remark: "Show yourself weak? Never!"

Vladimir Putin: Yes. But in fact, you are absolutely right: both family members and children need psychological support here. Because sometimes people just don't understand that they need such support. Because to be constantly in a state of stress—this cannot but affect the person. And this is psychological, not psychiatric help.

Olga Tikhonova: And psychological help through creativity! We have all this and came up on a personal example. My husband's comrade-in-arms returned with an amputation, and very big discord began in the family. Thus, I understood that this family needed help, but I needed it to be correct and targeted. We invited them to all sorts of creative meetings, art labs, and after a certain amount of time, this person tells me: thank you so much for helping me keep my family together, because at that moment I didn't understand what was happening to me.

But we provide this assistance in a relaxed way, with the help of creativity: drawing, modeling from clay, and so on.

Vladimir Putin: The letters you mentioned are sent by millions of children. This makes a huge difference.

Olga Tikhonova: Yes, we also join in sending humanitarian aid, namely drawings and letters. They are priceless.

Vladimir Putin: And the idea is very good—through creativity. This is probably a direct path to the soul and heart, that's for sure. Therefore, we will definitely do it, we will definitely help and support you.

Olga Tikhonova: Thank you very much.

Vladimir Putin: And where do you do it, in what city?

Olga Tikhonova: Here in Moscow. I am from Moscow.

Vladimir Putin: I even know who can help you. We both know this man.

Olga Tikhonova: That's fine. Sergey Semyonovich.

Sergei Sobyanin: We will help you, of course.

Olga Tikhonova: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: 100 percent.

You are welcome.

Anna Zakharova: Good afternoon!

I am Alexandra Zakharova, a mother of three children, a teacher of the national Yakut language.

When my husband died in the SVO, I realized that I wanted to help veterans and their families. I got a job in the Yakut branch of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation.

And now I remember my first ward. The guy came back with a CBT, double amputee, missing one arm and one leg. Difficulties in everyday life and work hardened him, he did not want to talk to anyone, drank, refused any help. I've been trying to reach him for several days. And when he picked up the phone and I started speaking in my native Yakut, he thawed out. He's doing well now. I agreed with the government and the district administration, they helped him with housing and got him a job.

At the moment, I can't solve one problem. People with disabilities need special clothing, and the state provides adaptive clothing like TSR, but these clothes do not take into account modern requirements. Our veterans are mostly young, active and athletic people who want to dress fashionably and beautifully without experiencing functional inconveniences.

In this regard, is it possible to consider the possibility of developing modern adaptive clothing? And our foundation would give money to the guys.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: You know, a totally unexpected question for me. Honestly, I thought, I mean, I didn't think, I didn't even think about it. But these are such small things…

A. Zakharova: These are the empty sleeves…

Vladimir Putin: Yes, I understand.

Olga Dorokhina: They go to hospitals, go everywhere, go to concerts, they are invited, but they have nothing to wear or feel uncomfortable.

Replica: To the military enlistment office… Put on a military uniform.

Olga Zhmykhova: Even if they have a job somewhere, even in a civil one, they want to dress beautifully and conform to society.

Vladimir Putin: Yes. Everyone, thank you for paying attention to this. Probably, the foundation can also work, but we will also think about how to do it at the level of…

Anna Yevgenyevna, you should definitely think about adaptive clothing.

A. Tsivileva: Absolutely correct. To be honest, we even have a ready-made project. I was just asking if I could turn on the video. We raised this issue even before the SVO, and we even held this contest in Kuzbass. But now we are entering the international agenda, and within the framework of the St. Petersburg Economic Forum we are already presenting a show of winners.

What is the purpose of this project? We want our clothing manufacturers and fashion designers to focus on the production of comfortable clothing for people with disabilities. Because we are now coming to a meeting: prosthetics are expensive, good, a veteran is sitting, he is dressed up, in a good jacket, but his sleeve is so cut with scissors, because the prosthesis cannot be inserted into an ordinary sleeve, not to mention those who are in wheelchairs. And we say that you need to go to work, you need to play sports. We now have 60 percent of children with injuries remain in the Armed Forces, that is, they need a uniform.

And, of course, it is one of the foundation's areas of focus to draw attention to this now. If we have such support and the opportunity—along with the technical means of rehabilitation, we can also give out clothing, for example, a primary set, so that it can actively integrate into society—it would be very good. And we will encourage our fashion designers, the winners of the competition, and we will buy these clothes from them, for example.

This topic is very acute, it concerns not only the participants of a special military operation, but people with disabilities in general -–-there is nothing to wear.

Vladimir Putin: Understood. If you need something from my side–-tell me, I will do everything, and we will agree with the Government. This is not an issue that cannot be resolved. Exactly possible and exactly necessary.

If you need to make any additional changes to the foundation's charter, please let us do so.

A. Tsivileva: Yes, we will also prepare them, we will simply include them as technical means of rehabilitation, as we once included cars. That is, it will really give you an opportunity…

Vladimir Putin: Anna Yevgenyevna was in favour of cars being included in rehabilitation facilities. Oddly enough, they did not immediately agree with this, but they still managed to do it. And even more so here. I totally agree.

A. Tsivileva: If I may, about cars. Since we are currently located in the Moscow branch.

This is a private story. A year ago, I met a young man who participated in a special military operation. We have the St. Alexy's Hospital in Balashikha, where heavy children were laid up. The guy was shot in the spine and was confined to a wheelchair. The guy is an orphan, that is, there was no one close to him who would support him at this moment. And the situation was such that he made a suicide attempt, that is, he did not have the meaning of life and prospects for life.

And no matter how much the foundation's staff worried about him, or how much our clergy helped or supported him, we didn't see any fire in his eyes or any prospect of life at all. Just recently, we presented cars here, and, of course, it fell under this category. We also had guys who immediately invited them to drive and train in extreme sports, extreme driving.

And this our hero, having already a car, began to go there. The girls called me and said that the man had changed: he began to want to live, go there, train. Now he works as an instructor. That's the story. You don't know where it's going to go off. But such a story brought our man's interest back to life. I think a much larger number, of course. Because this is the most serious injury, the most serious is a double amputation, when two lower limbs are missing. These are people confined to wheelchairs, and cars, of course, they are now given the opportunity to live and even, you see, be employed.

So thank you for supporting our initiative.

Vladimir Putin: And we need to do everything, of course, so that the guys feel like full-fledged people, could serve themselves, and play sports, and look decent. I agree.

Elena Generalova: Hello, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!

My name is Generalova Ekaterina.

Vladimir Putin: The surname is correct.

Elena Generalova: Yes. I am the head of the branch of the state fund "Defenders of the Fatherland" in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Married, we are raising three beautiful future defenders of the Fatherland. The older sister of the deceased participant of the special military operation Ryzhov Artem.

In 2023, in February, Artyom and his comrades-in-arms went on another mission, but, unfortunately, they were ambushed, and none of the guys returned. He actually had a choice, he was a student, he had a postponement, but he tore it up and gave it to his dad before the bus, saying: you didn't bring me up like this, I have to go.

This was the second chance he had to go home on injured leave. He had a very terrible concussion, which we also learned about at the funeral from the guys. He ran away from the hospital, didn't even get treated yet, his speech didn't recover, and ran away to his guys, the soldiers. This is his family. The subject was actually a very beautiful, very kind boy. Before the special military operation, he was engaged in patriotic education, and from the age of 14 he was a member of the Pokrov military-patriotic club. He even managed to put his hand in the upbringing of my children, his nephews. He always said to me: Katya, don't look at the fact that Kostya is nine years old, they are future men, they should understand what field training is. And for this I am very grateful to him.

Returning to my work: I often have mothers come to me, they want to perpetuate the memory of their sons. And for some reason, they choose the method of placing a memorial plaque on the school. When there are one, two, or three of them, it's fine, but when there are more than ten of them, it's not right. Schools are not a memorial complex. That's why I always tell them my story, tell them that I perpetuate the memory of my brother-–I hold mini-football tournaments. My social coordinator Dasha is holding a Russian billiards tournament in memory of her father, and this tournament is named after him. My eldest son, together with his teacher, is a volunteer of Donbass, they are holding a tournament in military–-applied sports in memory of the knight of the Order of Courage, his friend. And indeed, holding sports games is a very good method of perpetuating the memory of our children.

Returning to the topic of sports: starting from 2023, we, the foundation's teams, are very actively involving our children—veterans and disabled people--in sports, namely sledge hockey. Sports really bring you back to a peaceful life. Sport is disciplining, it forces our children to give up bad habits. Our guys are now preparing for the next Defenders of the Fatherland Cup. I have a fighter Sergey, who skated on his prosthetic leg. Every time he sends me a video, I say: Sergey, it's hard for you. He says: no, my dream is to play hockey with our President. I say: come to our sledge hockey game--you can play with the President faster than in big hockey.

You organized and initiated the amateur Night Hockey League more than 10 years ago. Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, please support our initiative to create such an amateur sledge hockey league.

Vladimir Putin: That's what we're doing here right now. Last year, in my opinion, the all-Russian competitions of this amateur league were held, and we had four teams take part. And this year, in my opinion, over 14 or 24. So we are doing it and will continue to do it. I've seen the guys play, and we even have a Paralympic sledge hockey team, or rather, it's called sledge hockey. They play brilliantly.

This sport among people with disabilities was born somewhere in the 60s, developed in the 70s, and then it became one of the disciplines of the Paralympic Games. Our guys are playing very well, and we will definitely develop them.

E. Generalova: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: As for the other topic that you have mentioned, it is the perpetuation of memory. Of course, it is possible and necessary to call sports tournaments after our guys. But the tournament goes on and on, and then for some reason it stopped going. And if you named an institution, school, or street by its name…

Elena Generalova: My street was named after my brother. But it wasn't our initiative.

Vladimir Putin: I didn't know that. It is normal to assign the names of our guys to various competitions. But, I repeat, it seems to me that when we talk about perpetuating memory, it should be for the ages. Today there is a tournament, but tomorrow it may not be. But the school, I don't know, the institute, the street.

Olga Dorokhina: There are too many guys.

Cue: Schools…

Vladimir Putin: Yes, I agree. I ask you to think about this, too, because it should be different ways to perpetuate the memory. This is definitely absolutely necessary to think about.

Replica: We can initiate it.

Vladimir Putin: You know, I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again. We're all mortal, aren't we? And once the life path of each person ends, the question is how each of us lived this life. And your loved ones who passed through these trials or who did not return from the war zone, they passed with dignity. And for us—they no longer need anything–-for us, for future generations, it is important that their names remain for a long time. Their examples–-(referring to O. Dorokhina) You took it off my tongue–-you stayed for a long time.

So this is a very important question. We need to think about it and implement it in our lives.

Elena Dzharimova: Good afternoon, Vladimir Vladimirovich!

In continuation of the topic, I really want to say. First of all, as an Orthodox Christian, I thank the Lord God for giving you the opportunity and the idea to organize such a wonderful foundation. Thank you.

I am Elena Anatolyevna Dzharimova, I work in the branch of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation in Adygea. Mother of three children, grandmother of three grandchildren. Prior to that, I worked for 30 years in the branch of VGTRK "Adygea", making patriotic TV programs.

My husband is a Circassian, I am Russian, we met in Adygea. Now it is near Kursk. He is a combat veteran from the Chechen campaigns, was a GRU scout sniper. SVO member, immediately volunteered, and is now a military instructor.

For my husband, patriotism is his life's work. More than 25 years ago, he organized the Unity military-patriotic club in Adygea, where he raised more than four thousand teenagers and prepared them for military service. They held the Zarnitsa games.

We paid great attention to the upbringing of our two sons and daughter, so that they would grow up to be worthy people. Our eldest son is also a combat veteran, serving in the Armed Forces in Sevastopol, celebrating his professional holiday on February 27.

And my husband has a lot of students who are veterans of a special military operation. And those who were demobilized are now helping in the patriotic work of the foundation.

I continue the work of my husband, and with his organization we have completed the project "Portrait of a Hero"to perpetuate the memory of our fellow countrymen. Now we are doing a very interesting educational project—a game "Hero-winner "like" What? Where? When?" for schoolchildren on the topics of the Great Patriotic War, Afghanistan, Chechnya, and the Northern Military District. Veterans of military operations of all local conflicts are invited there as honorary guests, and they inspire our youth.

And I think that this is a very good format for celebrating the exploits of our heroes. Why? Because children are interested in projects, contests, games, and competitions. And you see, it unites both young people and older people, and it unites veterans of military operations of all local conflicts—who, to be honest, have recently been offended why they were not included in the category of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation. This unites all of us, and everyone can contribute to our common victory.

So thank you again for creating the foundation. And thank you to Anna Yevgenyevna [Tsivileva] for everything.

Vladimir Putin: Just now, when you were talking about what you are doing, what idea came to my mind? You know, there are a lot of options to achieve the desired result, including in patriotic education. And here, of course, you need to be very creative. If you think about it, you can always find something that will be interesting for the people for whom we do it. And if it is interesting, then it goes on for a long time and has the necessary effect on the formation of a person. Exactly perfect.

E. Dzharimova: That's right, Mr Putin.

Vladimir Putin: I wish you every success!

Elena Dzharimova: Thank you.

Maria Bekova: Good afternoon, Vladimir Vladimirovich!

I am from Ingushetia, I am the wife of an active member of the SVO, a veteran of military operations. My husband participated in the second Chechen campaign in the 2000s. I am also a mother of four children.

What would you like to say? I myself worked as a doctor for 22 years and help those children who returned from the SVO zone, were injured and seriously injured. We contact the best clinics in our country, with doctors who can help us, our veterans.

I would like to tell a story based on the example of one ward. Adam is a combat veteran. He returned from the war zone and was seriously injured there. He lost a limb after a mine-blast injury—he lost his leg, and his arm was paralyzed. But despite all this, despite the mental pain and physical pain, Adam clenched his will, as they say, into a fist and went a long way to adapt. He underwent 22 operations in the best clinics in Moscow. The last time a month ago, he received surgery at the S. S. Yudin clinic and with the Ilizarov device has already arrived to us, in the republic.

And you know, there was, of course, a huge surprise when we saw Adam. On February 23, we had an event at the foundation, and our veteran was invited there. We were surprised when, with the Ilizarov device, he raised his glass with that once-paralyzed hand. I would like, of course, to express my great gratitude to our doctors who work such miracles, and using the example of Adam, I would like to say that our fighters never give up, always go forward and believe in themselves.

And, of course, thank you very much for supporting us.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

First of all, thank you. You said that you were from Ingushetia, and you ended what you said with such a patriotic appeal in the best sense of the word. You know what I remembered right away? Among the defenders of the Brest Fortress were many Ingush. This is also in the nature of people from the Caucasus and Ingushetia, too.

Please send your best wishes to all your loved ones.

Maria Bekova: You are very much appreciated and respected there.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

З.Stepanova: Hello!

My name is Zoya Stepanova. I'm from Yakutia, a nurse, a combat veteran.

From the first days of the SVO, I have always wanted to take part [in the SVO], acting in the interests of the country, the people and my family. In addition to our official duties, we, fragile women, restored the destroyed building as a hospital. Our hospital was designed for lightly wounded people with 30 beds, but we had to accept up to 100 wounded people. And the evacuation group at the "zero" point was also actively working for us. There we provided first aid to wounded soldiers, sorted them and evacuated them.

I want to tell you a little story that happened on the eve of March 8 last year. At night, we arrived [at the place] where we were located in the forest, at the "zero" point. We were waiting for the command, on the radio we were waiting for the command that maybe there are "three hundredths". But the radio was silent. We came out of the dugout by ourselves and listened—there was also complete silence. Somehow we calmed down in our hearts, but a boy came running right away and said: there are "three hundredths". We ran after him, took the duty bag, provided first aid under the light of flashlights. They were fighters on buggies who came out of the front line to rotate healthy, alive, without injuries, but they were caught up at the "zero" point by a "kamikaze" and made a reset right on them. Two boys were seriously injured, but we did everything possible and quickly evacuated them to a nearby hospital.

The next day, in the evening, they knock on the door, open the dugout, and there are roses. We were so surprised! It turns out that the commander of the wounded soldiers personally came to thank us for the lives of his guys. They were told by doctors that they were still alive thanks to the prompt, competent, well-coordinated work of doctors. And they gave me the most beautiful bouquet of white roses in my life.

Everyone, thank you for your attention.

Remark: There are also roses at the front.

Vladimir Putin: This is a good story ahead of March 8.

First, doctors do the most important work, the most important. This is also the moral support of the guys. If they know that doctors are located nearby, it always inspires some hope that even in a very difficult situation, help will be provided.

And in general, Russian military medicine has a very long, good tradition, deep, good training, very professional. But especially now, of course, in such difficult times and years, and on the other hand, when the practice is so large, the quality of work of medical services is growing, of course.

What else did I want to say? You just said that their commander, these boys, as you put it, has come.

З.Stepanova: I have them even under 60, over 60 [years], they are always boys, boys and there are.

Vladimir Putin: I understand.

But what would you like to say? You see, the commander has come. Still, this shows the level of our officer corps. Everything happens in life, but still the officer corps of the Russian army is a special caste. And the fact that their best qualities are shown in combat conditions is absolutely natural. This, of course, is the mainstay of our country, the mainstay of our state. This has always been the case. And in such events that we are now experiencing, this is confirmed again and again, and in our time, too. It's great.

S. Grishanova: When Zoya and I arrived here, when we saw each other, we realized that we had met somewhere. We don't have names on SVO, only call signs, we determined from our call signs that we know each other – we were together in that direction, and I took our lightly wounded soldiers to their hospital, which was created by the girls.

Vladimir Putin: Was it right in the woodlands?

S. Grishanova: I worked, yes.

Vladimir Putin: Right on the front line, practically, on the nearest one?

S. Grishanova: At zero, yes.

Vladimir Putin: It's clear. Thank you for the boys.

A. Mongush: Good afternoon!

My name is Mongush Aidysmaa and I am from the Republic of Tyva. A combat veteran, mother of three children, wife of a deceased serviceman.

In 2023, my husband decided to become a participant in a special military operation. Following the example of my husband, I also decided to follow him, since I have a medical education. I'm a medic, he's a stormtrooper, so we stood up for the defense of the Motherland.

Due to the lack of opportunities to serve in the same unit, we did not see each other for more than a year, although the distance between our units was no more than 40 kilometers. And I, as an escort of the evacuation platoon, unfortunately had to evacuate the body of my deceased husband. So we met, so we saw each other, and so we both went home. And with that, my task as a military medic was completed. Now I have a big responsibility--raising our children. And now, as a mother and combat veteran, I wish all of us a peaceful sky over our heads as soon as possible. The victory will be ours!

Vladimir Putin: Yes.

Olga Dorokhina: Mr President, I'm sorry, but she didn't finish saying that she was dragging her husband out alone. And for us, we all have hard fates, hard stories, but we decided unanimously that [Aydysmaa Mongush] is worthy of the state award. Have willpower, courage in this difficult situation… Be sure to pay attention to it.

Vladimir Putin: I agree. I agree with you.

Such stories, such destinies that are worthy of being written in books, in poems…

Olga Dorokhina: It is mandatory to perpetuate and tell about your exploits

Vladimir Putin: In feature films, in works of art, so that it remains for a long time.

Olga Dorokhina: She [Aidysmaa Mongush] is so small and fragile. I don't even know how… And morally how?

A. Kocherova: Our children and grandchildren will grow up on the exploits of our heroes.

Vladimir Putin: That's exactly how it should be.

Remark: We have something to be proud of.

Vladimir Putin: There is something to be proud of, that's right.

But how did it happen that you had 40 kilometers between the units where you served?

A. Mongush: We served in different military units, we had the same direction, but we could not see each other. First he left, then I went to work for him. And so it turned out: when he came on vacation, I left.

Vladimir Putin: We saw the kids, but we didn't see each other.

A. Mongush: There was no opportunity on the front line. We just knew we were okay. If there was a connection, then we could call, talk that everything was fine with us.

Vladimir Putin: And how did you end up in the place and at the time when your husband was killed?

A. Mongush: He was killed on the 22nd in Peschanoe. As soon as I was told that he was dead, I immediately reported all this to my commander, and he released me for family reasons. But there was no order for me to go with my platoon, I already went with his colleagues. Let's go, the evacuation was done, I met already in Rostov.

Vladimir Putin: It's clear.

How old are the children?

A. Mongush: The youngest son is five years old, the middle daughter is nine, and the eldest is eleven.

Vladimir Putin: Where do you live?

A. Mongush: In the Republic of Tyva, the city of Kyzyl.

Vladimir Putin: In Tyva, in Kyzyl directly? Children go to kindergarten there, study, right?

A. Mongush: Yes, as soon as we left for the free defense zone,we were immediately given a place in kindergarten. Older children go to school.

Vladimir Putin: And you both went to a special military operation zone, and who did the children stay with?

A. Mongush: With my grandparents.

A. Tsivileva: We all had to put a lot of effort together to persuade Aidysmaa Ayasovna not to go to the front again. She struggled, and with great effort, we still urge her to stay at home with the children and devote her life to raising children and just to the memory of her spouse.

Vladimir Putin: Absolutely, I fully support and ask you not to do this. However, I am not ironic, no jokes. After all, you have children, you need to raise them, their mother should be there.

This is an amazing story, of course, and it deserves—without any irony–-to be framed in some kind of artistic works and replicated for people.

I want to wish you courage, you have enough of it, patience. All your colleagues are here. If Anna Yevgenyevna says, then we'll talk again, something needs to be done to help you raise the children, Anna will do everything, okay? Agreed?

A. Tsivileva: Mr President, if you will excuse me, I am the head of the foundation and the family that has gathered here today… So that you can understand that such people really work here, and a large number of women, of course, with such difficult destinies. But at the same time, you can see for yourself how strong they are, but they have not lost either kindness or breadth of soul. Who have found the strength not only to survive and cope with their situations, problems, but who find the strength to help hundreds, thousands of people, other people.

And one of the directions of the foundation's work is really to perpetuate the memory of heroes. We have already created a trilogy of books written by veterans themselves: poems, short stories,and prose, which are now used to stage plays in theaters and make films.

If I may, I will conclude the meeting by reading one of the poems of a participant in a special military operation, a simple guy from the trench Evgeny Zimyatkin from the Tambov region, which we published in one collection, which we called "The highest honor: to wear a Russian uniform".

“You know, I miss you, Mom,

“It's a big deal for our family.

“I didn't get much sleep today,

“I walked through time through dusty fields.

“From the trench a scattering of stars brighter,

“Through the fog, danger chokes again.

“Tomorrow will be an even hotter day,

“The silence of the night is muffled by Art A.

“And the grass here is like ours, Mother,

“Ears of corn and rustles in the wind.

“I valued it all so little

“In a past life that was somewhere.

“I'll be back, I promised, Mom,

“Through the rain on a cool March day.

“Don't even let your thoughts in.,

“That otherwise it can be somehow.”

It seems to me that this poem is also dedicated to all mothers, all wives, all sisters-from our defenders, from our men.

And thank you for being here today, on the eve of March 8, to congratulate our women.

Thank you, Sergey Semenovich [Sobyanin], for your support, for this wonderful center, which has become, once again, a home for our veterans and their families.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

In conclusion, I would also like to tell you that when we talked about the need to perpetuate the memory of children who are no longer with us—and this is one of the important components of both the work of the state and the work of your foundation–-but this is work for future generations. And we need, of course, to think about those who need our help now, in our time. And so I want to thank you for doing this, for helping those people who have fulfilled their duty to the Motherland, who are fulfilling this duty to the Motherland now, for helping them and their family members like you.

In such a difficult situation, I would like to say that I congratulate you on the upcoming Women's Holiday. I would also like to say that sometimes we hear about young people that they are not what they used to be. But our military doctor, a paramedic, says that she calls all these guys-what?

Remark: Boys.

Vladimir Putin: As boys. They are all young people. Such as it was at all times, in Russia, young people, such people as they were today.

And in this regard, I would like to say something about women in general, about the women of Russia. They have always been and are gentle and beautiful, but at the same time courageous and strong, knowing their own value and the value of what we all serve–-our Fatherland.

I congratulate you on the upcoming 8th of March! [My Emphasis]

This was hard work because the situation is all do to the actions of my nation’s government, so I am partly responsible for the death and agony inflicted which caused the amazing responses shown to that act of aggression. Putin and all those gathered with him show what it means to be Russian and how Russians value all Russians. Putin will make good on his word and the suggestions will be implemented. There’s little more to say. It would be great if all Americans would read the above testimonies and then think about all the wars and chaos our nation has caused since 1945 and what’s being planned for the future. But those most in need of reading all the above are the 435 pinheads in Congress and all of Team Trump. Although I must admit, part of me thinks that’s absolutely useless.

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