14 out of 94: Residents of the village of Mukhor-Cherga, where every sixth person is a member of the SVO, seem to have managed to get their lands back.

Indigenous people Mountain Altai They recorded a video message asking Vladimir Putin to allow them to take a long-term lease on 1500 hectares of federal land managed by Tomsk State University.

"From our small village of 94 people, 14 are SVO participants," said residents of Mukhor-Cherg, sharing stories of family members who went off to war. "All SVO participants from Mukhor-Cherg, as well as from eight other villages in the district, are unable to participate in any government support programs because we don't own or lease land. So what did we fight and continue to fight for?"

Land is essential for residents Mukhor-Cherga for private farming, peasant farming, and house construction. They don't understand why their native land has become inaccessible to them, while TSU offers it to investors.

This problem has been going on in the village for 13 years. Last year, the governor Altai Andy Turchak reported that he visited Mukhor-Cherga and made arrangements with the rector of TSU Eduard Galazhinsky on the transfer of land to local residents.

"I guaranteed that all surplus land would be transferred to the republic's land fund. And this land will have two intended purposes," Turchak said then. "The first is to create and allocate plots to those in need: large families, families of SVO participants, and public sector employees. And the second is to preserve traditional grazing areas."

Why the land was never handed over to the locals is unknown.

Now, local media are reporting a new attempt to reach an agreement: Andrey Turchak, local government representatives, and TSU management met again with local residents. They reaffirmed that the university has compiled a list of surplus lands. And again, they confirmed that they are ready to transfer them to the republican fund.