Since the start of the special military operation, the Social Fund has built a comprehensive support system for its personnel and their families. Today, it covers up to 28 different areas, ranging from technical means of rehabilitation to pension benefits. Sergey Chirkov, Chairman of the Social Fund of Russia, spoke about the assistance servicemen and their loved ones are entitled to, about cases when payouts are assigned automatically and the new benefits introduced in 2025.
"As per the law, the Social Fund of Russia executes numerous welfare measures for our guys who have returned from the frontlines or are still serving. For us, that is not just a matter of abiding by the law, but of honor, because we try to assign welfare to our heroes timely, competently and essentially, in a proactive manner," emphasized Sergey Chirkov. "In total, the Social Fund of Russia currently provides 28 welfare benefits to servicemen participating in the special military operation. Those benefits are diverse: from the monthly allowance for combat veterans to a number of children's allowances granted to their families, wives and children while they serve."
So, while our servicemen are on combat deployment, the Social Fund supports their families. For instance, the Fund's branches provide a lump-sum payout, which was adjusted this February, to pregnant wives of mobilized servicemen. If a mobilized individual has children, the Fund pays a monthly allowance for every child under 3.
In addition, the Social Fund provides preferential treatment when assigning the unified allowance for pregnant women and children under 17 to wives of conscripted servicemen. A family is only eligible for the allowance if their combined income does not exceed the threshold. The rule established for mobilized servicemen excludes the SMO fighter's income when determining the family's financial position.
Servicemen themselves can receive services and payments from the Social Fund while still fighting in the SMO, for example, after they have been granted the combat veteran status entitling them to a monthly allowance adjusted annually. The allowance also covers the compensation for social services: medicines, resort treatment, free travel on suburban commuter trains and long-distance travel to the place of treatment. Combat veterans can decline the compensation if they so choose and use those services instead or some of them.
"A great number of measures, such as the monthly combat veteran allowance, are granted without any applications from our servicemen, solely based on the information on their involvement in the special operation the Fund received from our counterparties at the Defense Ministry and other security agencies," Mr. Chirkov said.
Disabilities also make SMO servicemen eligible for a whole range of benefits from the Social Fund, such as free rehabilitation equipment, including prosthetics, canes, wheelchairs, etc. Rehabilitation equipment is provided proactively via electronic certificates. The Fund tracks data provided by medical and social assessment institutions regarding the products prescribed to the veteran. On that basis and with the veteran's consent, the Fund staff issue an electronic certificate for the rehabilitation products.
If medically substantiated, all SMO veterans are guaranteed rehabilitation and resort treatment by the Social Fund. 12 centers managed by the Fund in various regions of the country provide the relevant services. The Fund's healthcare centers feature modern diagnostic and rehabilitation equipment and can provide comprehensive care for a wide range of conditions, including the consequences of mine-blast and gunshot wounds, musculoskeletal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, cardiovascular conditions, etc.
"One of the most important projects for the guys who have returned from the frontlines is, of course, rehabilitation in the Fund's healthcare centers. Over 19,000 our heroes improved their health there last year. 92% of those who chose resort treatment, and in 100% of those who underwent medical rehabilitation saw their health improve. We are happy to expand this project, which will see further development this year. The additional RUB 1.2 billion in financing will allow us, firstly, to provide health recovery services to more than 22,000 fighters, and furthermore, guys with disability Group I or medical indications can now bring accompanying persons to the center with them. The Social Fund covers the entire cost of the accompanying person's travel, meals, and accommodation," adds Head of the Social Fund.
The payment procedures concerning the travel of SMO veterans for treatment at Social Fund's rehabilitation centers will also expand in January. Former servicemen will be able to get travel tickets for this purpose. The Fund has provided them to nearly 2,000 veterans since the year has started.
SMO servicemen are also eligible for pension entitlements provided by the Social Fund. Service record and pension coefficients are doubled for the time spent participating in the SMO. For one year of combat action, a veteran receives two years of service record and double pension coefficients: 3.6 instead of 1.8. The service record acquired during the special operation is also counted toward an early pension.
In general, SMO veterans are entitled to insurance and state pensions from the Social Fund. Last year saw the pension entitlements for the special military operation servicemen expanded. Starting in August, a government pension is granted to fighters of private military contractors and other organizations that assist the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in carrying out tasks related to the special military operation.
Importantly, an SMO serviceman who has sustained a disability is entitled to two concurrent pensions: an age-related insurance pension and a government disability pension. On top of that, veterans can also apply for a supplementary monthly cash allowance.
In February, the Social Fund adjusted a number of payouts for SMO servicemen and their families. The increase covered benefits like the monthly cash allowance to combat veterans, the monthly disability payment, monetary compensation for the social services package, allowances for children and pregnant wives of SMO servicemen. The unified allowance granted to the families of servicemen on a preferential basis, was also adjusted.
If the procedure for receiving payouts and benefits requires a visit to the Social Fund, a special military operation serviceman or their family is provided with all required services in a single visit. A dedicated staff member is assigned to ensure that: to manage the document submission process and request records required to provide pensions and social benefits. The Social Fund has set up a mentorship system comprising around 5,000 staff members who provide assistance and guidance to SMO servicemen.
Head of the Social Fund had words of special gratitude for his co-workers who went to defend the Motherland.
"I feel deep gratitude to the employees of the Social Fund of Russia whose hearts compelled them to go to the area of the special military operation. They are our heroes, and we are proud of them. We do everything possible to ensure that their families feel secure while their loved ones are in the combat zone. That is why, on top of the benefits prescribed by the law, we provide additional support, because the Social Fund is one big family. We are very proud of them and want them to come back alive and healthy and, of course, victorious," concluded Sergey Chirkov, Chairman of the Social Fund of Russia.