Putin also acknowledged that combat veterans are already joining party ranks. The remarks come just days after regional elections that saw 1,616 military veterans run as candidates, 830 of whom were nominated by United Russia, the ruling party that dominates the State Duma. Analysts say the move cements the political role of Russia's military establishment and ensures that the next generation of leaders will carry forward Putin's foreign policy and domestic security agenda. The war has mobilized over 1.5 million Russians, including convicts offered early release to serve on the front, according to independent estimates. Casualty figures remain state secrets, but independent media outlets such as Mediazona and the BBC estimate at least 130,150 Russian troops have been killed.