Putin’s “Time of Heroes”: Building Russia’s New Military Elite

The Senezh Lake Training Campus

The training program operates out of an 85-hectare campus located on the shores of Lake Senezh, roughly 40 kilometers northwest of Moscow. Managed by the Higher School of State Governance under the Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, the facility features hotels, athletic complexes, and residential halls designed to host select military veterans.

When applications opened, the initiative drew over 44,000 inquiries between March and April of that year. Out of that applicant pool, an initial cohort of 83 participants—including four women, 79 career officers ranging from lieutenants to generals, and three soldiers—was selected. Twenty of those chosen had already received the Hero of Russia decoration.

The curriculum spans two years, divided into four 30-day modules. Instruction is delivered by Kremlin and government officials, representatives of ministries, regional heads, and executives of large companies. As part of their practical training, participants undertake internships within the State Duma, where each student is assigned a deputy as a tutor. Before completing the first phase, participants traveled on the icebreaker 50 Years of Victory to the North Pole to undergo tests of “physical and moral solidity.”

Appointments to Government Posts

By the end of January 2025, 18 members of the inaugural class secured government positions. Among them is Artyom Zhoga, the former commander of the Sparta Battalion in the Donetsk republic and a list representative for Vladimir Putin during the 2024 presidential election, who was appointed presidential plenipotentiary in the Urals.

Other notable appointments include Major Artur Orlov, a tank battalion commander awarded the Hero of Russia medal, who was named chairman of the board of directors for the Russian youth movement “Movement of the First.” Vladislav Golovin, a platoon commander from the Black Sea Fleet’s 810th marine brigade, assumed the role of chief of staff for Yunarmiya, a patriotic youth paramilitary education organization.

In addition to executive appointments, the program’s alumni made gains in regional and federal legislative bodies. During elections for the State Duma and various regional councils, 49 military veterans won seats, with more than half of those victors originating from the Lake Senezh training program. Overall, over 120 participants from the Time of Heroes initiative have assumed new roles.

Political Context and Analysis

President Vladimir Putin has publicly endorsed the integration of combat veterans into the civil service, stating that their firsthand experience is vital for government decision-making. During public receptions with the veterans, Putin criticized the generation of business leaders who amassed wealth during the 1990s, positioning the front-line soldiers as the country’s true foundational elite.

Political analysts interpret the initiative as a deliberate structural shift within Russia’s ruling apparatus. According to political scientist Andrei Kolesnikov, the integration of these veterans completes the consolidation of a “power state” framework. Fellow analyst Nikolaj Petrov notes that the authorities are attempting to demonstrate that the “new hegemon” is represented by participants in the military operation.