Connection time: Putin linked Russia's future to HIS heroes

The future of Russia should be linked to the heroes of the special military operation, and this will be their time. This was stated by Vladimir Putin on June 12, Russia Day, at a meeting with participants of the Time of Heroes program. According to the head of state, it is the participants fighting at the front who pave the way for the country's victories. And working in the state apparatus, thanks to the new personnel program, will be another opportunity for them to serve the Fatherland. The fighters themselves call it the "Time of Heroes" with a social lift and shared their stories of personnel appointments that they successfully cope with. On the same day, the president traditionally awarded high state awards to outstanding Russians. About who will celebrate his centenary in the Kremlin and which force remains, in Vladimir Putin's opinion, the most durable — in the material of Izvestia.

What appointments in the authorities did the fighters of the SVO receive?

On Russia Day, Vladimir Putin met with participants of the personnel program "Time of Heroes". The conversation between the head of state and the soldiers of the SVO, who will soon enter public service, took place in the Kremlin's Senate Palace: at least one and a half hundred people gathered in the Catherine Hall. The President first of all congratulated veterans and participants of the special military operation on the holiday.

— Our country goes through very difficult trials from time to time, and this immortality is expressed in the victories of our country. In this regard, I would like to note that the path to this or these victories is being paved by people like you and your comrades-in—arms, who, as you know better than anyone else, are doing their duty to the Motherland right now on the line of contact, at the front. said Vladimir Putin.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Connection time

Russia's tomorrow should be connected with people like the heroes of the SVR, and this should be their time, the head of state added. It is known that many participants of the "Time of Heroes" program came to it directly from the front line. For example, Hero of Russia Ilya Khomyakov told his story of online training: "I was in the free zone, right here in the dugout. All I needed was a tablet. The tablet, the connection, and the desire," he said.

45 military personnel have already received positions, and among them are appointments directly to the presidential administration. Thus, Vladimir Putin wished success to Major Denis Didenko, who in February 2025 was appointed Chief Adviser to the Office of the President of the Russian Federation on monitoring and analysis of social processes. Another Hero of Russia, Vladimir Saibel, said that thanks to this program he was able to feel for himself what a social elevator is. He became deputy head of the presidential Commission on veterans' issues under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. He is responsible for the issues of not only the participants of the SVO, but also veterans of the Great Patriotic War.

— Two years ago, when I was seriously injured and lost my arm and leg, it really seemed to me that my life was over, and no one but my family and friends needed me. But thanks to your support, the trust of the state and, of course, the Time of Heroes program, I really felt what a social lift is, despite the fact that I'm on a prosthetic leg," he said.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Grigory Sysoev

Any combat veterans have several qualities that can be useful in public service: first of all, they are dedication and the ability to finish things despite problems and barriers, which is often lacking for career officials who drown in the process and lose sight of their goals, says political analyst Dmitry Yelovsky. Secondly, it is the absence of fear and kowtowing to the West, because people have seen in practice what the Western military machine and control system are worth. And the third property is the absence of fear of uncertainty.

— So the guys who have been trained in the "Time of Heroes" can be extremely useful in those parts of the public sector where new types of tasks arise, where it is necessary to create management systems from scratch. These are promising sectors such as the development of unmanned systems, new transport corridors, and new types of production," the political scientist told Izvestia.

"Guys, I'll look at you from the sky."

Almost everyone who spoke to the president wanted to share the main secret that made it possible to overcome difficulties both at the front and in life. And it turned out to be the same for everyone — love. Many fighters met their fate on the front line, and, for example, Captain Ilya Tretyakov admitted right at the meeting with the head of state that he decided to propose to his girlfriend. The President encouraged the young soldier and wished him future family happiness.

"Everyone fulfills their duty and this duty is sealed with love; there is nothing more durable and reliable than a relationship that is sealed with love," Vladimir Putin said.

After listening to this story, the head of the Russian Federation recalled the example of another fighter, with whom, by the way, the president is scheduled to meet. That member of his family got married on the advice of the head of state, which he gave six months ago, and the "order of the supreme commander-in-chief" was fulfilled, the president jokingly noted.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Andrey Erstrem

Another participant in the program, Iraida Demina, a doctor at the anesthesiology department of the intensive care unit of the medical company, told the president her story: during her service, she met her chosen one, also a soldier, and got married. Vladimir Putin congratulated her on this step. Another participant in the program, Major, Hero of Russia, Knight of the Order of Courage Oleg Pivovarov, who was paralyzed after being wounded, told Vladimir Putin about how he managed not to lose heart.

— When I was leaving with the group after completing the tasks, an FPV drone flew into our car. And I woke up in the hospital completely paralyzed, I couldn't even breathe on my own. It was connected to various life support devices. And at that moment, I thought it would be better if I died on the battlefield than to be in such a situation. But as it turned out, my wife, while I was on the edge of life, took me out of the field hospital to the Crimea. And while I was in a coma, she was waiting for me outside the windows. And when I woke up, she was admitted to my intensive care unit. And I saw her. I realized that I have someone to live for, and it gave me the strength to fight," he said.

Oleg Pivovarov also spoke about the feat of his comrade, company commander Alexei Ishchenko, who died in front of his eyes while repelling an enemy attack on the right bank of the Dnieper River in the summer of 2022. Noting the steadfastness and courage of the deceased, Oleg Pivovarov quoted the commander's last phrase: "Guys, I'll look at you from the sky." He appealed to the president with a request to award Alexei Ishchenko the title of Hero of Russia posthumously. Vladimir Putin promised to do so.

To whom the President presented State awards

On Russia Day, Vladimir Putin traditionally presented gold medals of the Hero of Labor and badges of the winners of the 2024 State Prizes of the Russian Federation in the St. George's Hall of the Kremlin Palace.

— With your work, knowledge, talent, and spiritual generosity, you affirm the importance of education, culture, enlightenment, scientific and creative search. Your brilliant achievements have brought great benefits to the Fatherland," the Russian President addressed the laureates.

Thus, Vladimir Putin awarded the title Hero of Labor to Yuri Dikov, deputy scientific director of the Federal Nuclear Center named after Academician Zababakhin: he devoted his whole life to strengthening the country's nuclear shield, and has been working at the Snezhinsky Nuclear Center for 65 years. The same title was awarded to People's Artist of Russia, composer Alexander Zatsepin. His songs are still sung by people of different generations, the president noted. The artist, in turn, invited the head of state to his 100th birthday: it will be held in the Kremlin on March 10, 2026. The Hero of Labor Medal from the president's hands was also awarded to Sultangirei Kostoyev, a tractor driver from Ingushetia, and Vyacheslav Zintsov, an electrical fitter who has been working at the Tver Carriage Building Plant for more than half a century and even became the first Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation in the Tver Region.

— I've dreamed of being a worker all my life. For me, the title of a worker is a very great pride. And I tried not to let down my parents, the indigenous car builders, and I went myself, my wife worked, my brother worked, my son worked. In general, we had a whole dynasty there. Well, now it's like the result of your work on your chest," Vyacheslav Zintsov told Izvestia.

The writer Alexander Prokhanov and the chief physician of the city hospital No. 2 in Gorlovka, Nelly Yakunenko, were also awarded a similar award.

Today, the contribution of both scientists who solve the problems of technological leadership and creators who protect historical memory is equally important for the country, the president said. Thus, the State Prize in the field of science and technology was awarded to Nikolai Kuznetsov, a professor at St. Petersburg State University. His theory of hidden oscillations allowed him to advance in solving fundamental problems, in particular, in preventing man-made disasters, improving the reliability of drilling rigs and steam turbines.

Similar prizes were awarded to Nikolai Makarov, Director of the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Maxim Nikitin, head of the laboratory at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, one of the youngest laureates. "Thanks to his talent and scientific courage, he made a real breakthrough in the world of biology — he discovered a previously unknown mechanism for storing information in DNA, which could be the key to understanding the causes and, therefore, preventing the most complex diseases," the president explained.

The state prizes in the field of literature and art were awarded to writer and playwright Yuri Polyakov, director of the V. D. Polenov State Russian House of Folk Art Tamara Purtova, as well as head of the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic Alexei Shalashov and artistic director Alexander Tchaikovsky. Georgy Stolyarenko, General Director of the Center for Diagnostics and Surgery of the Posterior Department of the Eye, received the award for outstanding achievements in the field of charitable activities: he developed devices for the effective treatment of retinal pathologies.

The award for outstanding achievements in the field of humanitarian activity was awarded to Alexander Chubaryan, Scientific director of the Institute of Universal History of the Russian Academy of Sciences. According to the President, he has done a lot to strengthen cooperation and contacts between scientists from different countries. Natalia Karpovich, head of the public organization "Association of Large Families of the City of Moscow", received the award for outstanding achievements in the field of human rights work.