Rustam Minnikhanov: Our goal is to ensure that every veteran of the Great Patriotic War feels cared for and receives the necessary assistance around the clock.

On 7 May, speaking at a meeting of organization committees for preparation and celebration of the 81-st anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War (WWII) 1941-1945 and holding the Year of Military and Labour Valor in the republic held in the Government House of the republic with participation of the regional Prime Minister Aleksey Pesoshin, the Rais (Head) of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov said :” Our priority is to organize work so that every veteran of the Great Patriotic War feels cared for and receives the necessary assistance around the clock.”

In her keynote report, the regional Deputy Prime Minister Leyla Fazleeva informed that currently there are 5 534 was veterans including 92 combat veterans living in the republic and told about gifts and monetary subsidies handed in to veterans on behalf of the Rais of the republic, having clarified that the most sought-after areas of assistance for war veterans, given their advanced age, are social and medical services.

“The plan of key events for the Year of Military and Labor Valor places special emphasis on participants in the Special Military Operation. Currently, there are more than 3,500 SMO veterans, whose contribution to national security is invaluable, living in the republic,” she said and informed about medical assistance and rehabilitation for those who were injured in action.

“Of particular pride is the first-ever Russian Championship in professional skills among participants of the SMO, which was held in Kazan in July 2025 and where its participants competed in a range of skills across 12 industries,” Leyla Fazleeva told and added that currently about 70 per cent of SMO veterans have been employed .

The participants of the meeting also discussed issues of targeted help provided to WW II veterans, to SMO participants and their families and events on preservation of historical memory and patriotic upbringing of the youth.

In his turn, Rustam Minnikhanov noted that in the last three years the number of the war veterans decreased by two times and asked to pay special attention and care to each of them.

Speaking about preservation and maintenance of sites associated with the perpetuation of the feat of home front workers and organization of educational projects for youngsters, he also gave an errand to prioritize the completion of the installation of the stele in Zelenodolsk in connection with the city being awarded the honorary title of "City of Labor Valor" by the Russian Federation.

“It is necessary to complete all work to perpetuate the memory of our Heroes,” the Rais of the republic stated  and gave an errand to keep under special control the implementation of the project to build a Memorial Zone dedicated to the memory of the participants of the special military operation.

“Particular attention must be paid to providing assistance to the families of deceased participants of the Special Military Operation, those demobilized or returning from combat zones, and to the employment of combat veterans. We have developed numerous support measures, including medical and social rehabilitation. All relevant institutions are obliged to ensure the immediate provision of necessary assistance to participants of the SMO, without formalism and bureaucracy. These issues should remain under the personal control of the heads of municipalities,” Rustam Minnikhanov emphasized.

He also told about the necessity of further development of the volunteering movement and the patriotic upbringing of the growing generation.

“The year 2026 has been proclaimed the Year of Unity of Peoples of Russia and the Year of Military and Labor Valor in the republic. This is also the 85th anniversary since the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. We are faced with the task of holding all planned events with dignity, preserving the memory of the heroic past and strengthening the unity of our peoples,” he concluded.