Lavrov Meets Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation Chair and Combat Veterans

Dragon Media News Desk

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met on August 27 with Anna Tsivileva, Chair of the State Foundation for Support of Participants of the Special Military Operation “Defenders of the Fatherland,” as well as combat veterans attending the annual “Together We Will Win” forum.

During an informal discussion, Lavrov spoke in detail about the current challenges facing Russian diplomacy and the country’s foreign policy priorities, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Lavrov thanked the veterans for their courage, valour and devotion to the Fatherland while serving on the front lines.

Participants in the meeting expressed confidence that, despite what Russia describes as the West’s ongoing hybrid war against the country and extensive support for Ukraine, the objectives of the special military operation would be achieved.

Responding to questions, Lavrov also outlined the Foreign Ministry’s efforts to support participants in the military operation and facilitate their transition to civilian life.

He discussed plans to further develop a professional retraining programme that has been implemented since 2024 in cooperation with the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defence, MGIMO University and the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation.

The programme is designed to support the social integration and civilian employment of participants returning from military service.

Following completion of the programme’s fourth stage in July 2026, Russian authorities plan to expand both the number of participants and the range of courses, taking into account feedback from previous graduates.