The State Duma has authorized the granting of "combat veteran" status to stormtroopers who are former prisoners.

Relevant  changes Articles 3 and 4 of the Federal Law “On Veterans” were adopted immediately in the second and third readings.

Now veteran status will be available to “citizens who took part in the Air Defense Forces as part of assault units” who signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense between October 1, 2022 and September 1, 2023, it says. explanatory note to the bill. 

This includes participants in the war against Ukraine from among former prisoners, primarily fighters of the assault unit Storm Z — a volunteer formation within the Wagner PMC, which was started by Yevgeny Prigozhin and which later came under the control of the Ministry of Defense.
"Our President has already said that everyone is equal in the trenches. Therefore, he has issued an order that the status of 'combat veteran' be granted to all categories of individuals who participated in combat operations in the SVO zone. [...] However, our defenders who fought in special assault units under an agreement with the Ministry of Defense from October 1, 2022, to September 1, 2023, are currently not granted combat veteran status. The adopted bill closes this gap. Now they will also be able to receive all the social benefits they are entitled to on an equal basis with other SVO participants," wrote State Duma Deputy Speaker Anna Kuznetsova wrote on her Telegram channel.