The relevance of the proposed topic lies in the fact that, at present, the integration of Special Military Operation (SMO) veterans, who possess professional competencies and unique decision-making experience in extreme conditions, into the political and administrative spheres of Russia may exert a significant and constructive influence on political processes. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to examine the mechanisms for harnessing the political potential of SMO participants within the framework of the Russian Federation’s state system. The research draws on a range of sources, including the updated legislative framework supporting SMO participants and their families; the presidential federal educational program Time of Heroes; publications by leading scholars; results of a public opinion survey on national defenders conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM); and expert interviews with SMO veterans. The study employs the following principal research methods: literature and source analysis, content analysis, interviews, comparative and institutional comparison, and systems analysis. The article analyzes the factors that contribute to the successful integration of SMO veterans into governmental institutions, as well as into broader societal and political processes. It explores the interpretations of key concepts such as “political elite,” “new political elite,” and “political potential,” thereby expanding the conceptual discourse of political science. The role of SMO veterans as political actors is examined in depth, alongside the mechanisms of their inclusion in public administration, with consideration given to potential risks and the adaptation processes required for their transition into new state-political roles. The study concludes that a new political elite is currently forming in the Russian Federation an elite that is likely to become a significant part of the country’s leadership in the near future. The author proposes a definition of the “new political elite” and analyzes the factors that facilitate the effective integration of SMO veterans into the structures of state power and political life.

The relevance of the proposed topic lies in the fact that, at present, the integration of Special Military Operation (SMO) veterans, who possess professional competencies and unique decision-making experience in extreme conditions, into the political and administrative spheres of Russia may exert a significant and constructive influence on political processes. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to examine the mechanisms for harnessing the political potential of SMO participants within the framework of the Russian Federation’s state system. The research draws on a range of sources, including the updated legislative framework supporting SMO participants and their families; the presidential federal educational program Time of Heroes; publications by leading scholars; results of a public opinion survey on national defenders conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM); and expert interviews with SMO veterans. The study employs the following principal research methods: literature and source analysis, content analysis, interviews, comparative and institutional comparison, and systems analysis. The article analyzes the factors that contribute to the successful integration of SMO veterans into governmental institutions, as well as into broader societal and political processes. It explores the interpretations of key concepts such as “political elite,” “new political elite,” and “political potential,” thereby expanding the conceptual discourse of political science. The role of SMO veterans as political actors is examined in depth, alongside the mechanisms of their inclusion in public administration, with consideration given to potential risks and the adaptation processes required for their transition into new state-political roles. The study concludes that a new political elite is currently forming in the Russian Federation an elite that is likely to become a significant part of the country’s leadership in the near future. The author proposes a definition of the “new political elite” and analyzes the factors that facilitate the effective integration of SMO veterans into the structures of state power and political life.