Putin’s New Warrior Class Is Coming for Russia’s Elections-and Maybe Him

Key Points:

• Russians are voting in parliamentary elections for the first time since Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine, with the Kremlin pushing for war veterans to form the core of the new State Duma to sustain ongoing conflict and legitimize the war effort.
• Putin's United Russia party is expected to win decisively, benefiting from the exclusion of anti-war candidates and minimal campaigning, securing a constitutional majority to support further military escalation and domestic repression.
• While public polling shows majority support for the war, many Russians express growing economic concerns and desire for redirected spending toward social services, revealing underlying discontent with the war's impact on daily life.
• The Kremlin's "Time of Heroes" program fast-tracks Ukraine war veterans into political and corporate leadership roles, using their status to bolster patriotic legitimacy, though many veteran candidates have limited combat experience and serve symbolic roles.
• Despite the political elevation of veterans, there is potential risk for Putin as some veterans criticize military leadership and the war's management, recalling the Wagner Group rebellion as a cautionary example of veteran dissent posing a threat to Kremlin control.