For the world by thread: Russians have raised more than 54 billion rubles to support their

Since 2022, Russians have collected about 54.5 billion rubles to support the special operation: This made it possible to additionally supply the necessary equipment and equipment to the front, for example, more than 14 thousand vehicles. And the drones involved in the free zone, transferred along the Popular Front line, destroyed enemy equipment worth more than $2 billion. This was stated by Vladimir Putin on July 6 at the forum of the Popular Front "Everything for Victory!". He also expressed admiration for the "Russian Kulibins," who, according to the president, sometimes come up with something that surpasses the quality of the hardware of NATO countries for the needs of the army. The People's Front volunteers also provide great assistance to residents of new regions of Russia and the border region: on this day, some volunteers received the "Everything for Victory!" award from the president.

How was the Popular Front Forum in Moscow?

On July 6, more than a thousand activists and volunteers gathered at the Rossiya National Center in Moscow: they all came to the forum of the country's main social movement, the Popular Front. It was held under the motto "Everything for Victory!". The organization created a foundation of the same name back in 2022 to help its participants.

In three years, the Popular Front has united millions of patriots across the country: everyone has made their contribution whenever possible, from a hand—woven camouflage net to an armored vehicle or an electronic warfare system sent to the front line. The leader of the movement, Vladimir Putin, also came to the forum.

— Since its creation, the Popular Front has assumed responsibility for solving the most complex and pressing issues. You are in a place where it is difficult, where real, not paper work is needed, where you need to implement big projects, meet challenges, combine people's energy and aspirations. I repeat: the ONF has become an effective institution of civil society, civic solidarity, consolidation, public participation and control. And when our country and our people faced a direct threat, with increasing external aggression, with new punitive operations against the residents of Donbass and Novorossiya, the Popular Front took on the very work, the very mission that it was obliged to take on, because the Popular Front is part of our people," the head of state said. states.

Over the past three years, millions of Russians, leading corporations and small companies, as well as individual entrepreneurs and many labor collectives have joined the campaign. Since the beginning of the war, over 11.5 thousand sights and monoculars, 4.5 thousand generators, 2.4 thousand motorcycles, 1.6 thousand ATVs, more than 1 thousand watercraft and 700 units of special equipment have been purchased for the Russian military with money raised by concerned citizens.

— In total, as we have just said, 54.5 billion rubles of public funds were collected, namely people's funds, to support a special military operation. Including over 45 billion — at the specific request of our military personnel and combat units. This allowed us to additionally supply the necessary equipment and equipment to the front — quadrocopters, first—aid kits, more than 14 thousand cars, other vehicles, and much, much more," the Russian leader drew attention.

As Mikhail Kuznetsov, head of the executive committee of the Popular Front, clarified to Izvestia, 24 billion rubles of these funds are transfers from people with an average check of no more than 1 thousand rubles.

— I think it was not the last money for them, but they definitely counted on it in their family budget. But they made a choice and gave them to the guys at the front," he said.

What developments of Russian inventors are helping the front

Vladimir Putin also visited the exhibition "Everything for Victory!" dedicated to the results of the three-year work of the Popular Front. There he was presented with the latest developments to ensure the prompt evacuation of the wounded from the battlefield, as well as the achievements of the inventors of the Kulibin Club.

This is the design bureau of the Popular Front, which unites craftsmen. It helps military personnel on the front line to receive the most up-to-date developments: now dozens of names of unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment have already been tested at training grounds and in the combat zone.

— We've just seen some of the developments of our inventors, innovators, and talented techies at the exhibition, which is impressive. In such national design bureaus (design bureaus. — Ed.), sometimes just "on their knees", in garages and behind home laptops, Russian Kulibins sometimes come up with something that surpasses in quality and efficiency some of the hardware of our opponents from NATO countries," he said.

Currently, more than 70 types and samples of products have been supplied to the troops: attack and reconnaissance UAVs, ground-based robotic complexes (RTK), electronic warfare systems (RER), electronic warfare systems, unmanned boats, said Alexander Panichev, head of the Kulibin Club. According to the president, Russian drones supplied only by the Popular Front have burned more than $2 billion worth of enemy equipment.

"Let the taxpayers of Western countries hear these figures and think about where their government is spending their people's money — instead of developing their healthcare systems, and there are many problems there, we know this well, the housing and communal services are the same, raising wages," Vladimir Putin said.

How volunteers work in new regions and borderlands

In addition to helping the military, support for the Popular Front has extended to people affected by the fighting in Donbass and Novorossiya and the border region. Since the first days of the special operation, a humanitarian mission has been operating to support residents of new regions of Russia. At the very beginning, aid was literally passed from hand to hand, but now it is a system that unites 12 logistics centers in eight regions, Vladimir Taranenko, deputy head of the executive committee of the Popular Front, head of the Youth Wing of the Popular Front, told Izvestia. According to him, tens of thousands of people are involved in this volunteer work.

They also see irreplaceable help on the ground. For example, Natalia Poluyanova, a State Duma deputy from the Belgorod region, confirmed to Izvestia that the volunteers of the Popular Front are actively involved in the humanitarian mission, providing assistance to civilians and military personnel. According to her, the youth of the Popular Front plays an important role in this activity, collecting and delivering humanitarian aid, as well as providing support in temporary accommodation facilities.

This help was also appreciated at the "Everything for Victory!" award. This is a public award intended for volunteers who provide assistance to both participants in a special military operation and their families, as well as civilians. The award was given by the president to the Malia family from the DPR — spouses Igor and Valentina, as well as their son Ilya. They started helping the residents of the Donetsk city of Kurakhovo almost immediately after the settlement was liberated. The father of the family delivered medicines and bandages for more than 150 wounded and injured, his wife organized a temporary shelter where people found shelter, and his son saved dozens of people during a drone attack.

The President also presented the award to Olga Yazeva, the priest's wife, who is expecting two sons from the front and sews comfortable clothes for soldiers. She has organized her own "Sewing Troops" and is sending everything to the front. Ivan Soldatov, Chief designer of the Russian Dome complex, received a commemorative statuette. According to media reports, the electronic warfare system he developed protects Crimea from massive enemy raids.

On the same day, Vladimir Putin presented the Gold Star medal to Zhanna Gudkova, the widow of Hero of Russia Major General Mikhail Gudkov. The Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy died on July 2 in the SVO zone and was awarded posthumously. Mikhail Gudkov became the first Russian Hero twice in modern history.