Putin has been in control of Russian politics for many years. Since taking office in 2000, there have been basically no major changes. But in recent years, especially after 2024, there has been a lot of fuss about who will take over his shift. It's not that he is retiring soon, but that given his age, there are many health rumors, and international pressure, he has to have a long-term plan.
At the end of February, when Putin spoke to the federal parliament, he directly threw out a “Hero Age” program, which in Russian is called “Vreme Heroev”, which translates as “Hero Moments”.
Let's talk about Putin first. He was born in St. Petersburg in 1952, which was still called Leningrad at that time. My family is average, and my parents are ordinary workers. When I was a child, I lived in that kind of public apartment, and the conditions were quite bitter. When I was young, I loved judo and so on. In 1970, I went to college to study law. After graduation, I went directly to the KGB to do intelligence. I worked for 16 years and stayed in East Germany for several years.
When the Berlin Wall fell, he saw the collapse of East Germany with his own eyes, which had a great impact on him and always felt that national stability was the most important. After retiring from the army in 1991, he returned to St. Petersburg to become a political politician, starting from a university assistant and all the way to deputy mayor. He went to Moscow in 1996 and his position rose rapidly. In 2000, he became president and received 53% of the votes. Later, everyone was familiar with re-election and so on.
Putin has been in power for these years, and his style is hard-core. Manage oligarchs domestically, stabilize the economy, and be tough externally. Fighting Georgia in 2008, Crimea in 2014, and Syria in 2015. These things make him a hero of reviving the country in the eyes of Russians. But by the 2020s, as soon as the conflict in Ukraine struck, the situation was complicated.
In February 2022, a special military operation began, and the Russian military advanced, but also paid a price. The international sanctions wave came, and the economic pressure was great. Putin was older, and in 2024 he was 72, and health problems continued to be rumored, although official denial, but the outside world always guessed he had to think backwards.
This "Hero Age" plan is Putin's response. On February 29, 2024, he said in his State of the Union speech, to select from the military who participated in special military operations, to train into managers. It is not random to choose, to have university education, management experience, no criminal records. The first enrollment of 44,000 people, and finally only 83 people, the admission rate is scary. These people went to the Senezh studio of the National Academy of Administration to train, to learn leadership, crisis management. Putin also personally went several times, June 2024 and June 2025, to talk to them, emphasizing loyalty and dedication.
Why choose a soldier? Putin felt that the battlefield was the most tested place for people, and these people proved their loyalty to the country. Traditionally, successors in Russia mostly come from high-level political or business circles. This time, it is indeed unexpected to turn to frontline veterans. Supporters say that these guys have experienced the line of fire and handled the crisis reliably. Those who oppose it feel that they have little diplomatic and economic experience and are afraid of problems. But Putin doesn't care about this. He came from the KGB and believed in discipline and loyalty. Up to now, there are many young officers in the Russian army who have performed well. Putin wants to pull them into the government and build a new elite.
The plan is moving forward quickly. After the launch in 2024, the first batch of people will be trained and most of them will be assigned to local administrative positions or enterprises. In February 2025, it was reported that more than 20 alumni had entered non-elected positions, such as local councils or department heads. By mid-2025, more than 140 people will join the government. Putin also expanded the plan to include military enterprises, absorb technical backbones, and add energy transformation and digitalization content to the curriculum. Russia is now facing sanctions, population aging, etc. These people need to learn more comprehensively.
This plan is not just about selecting people, but also about changing Russia's power structure. Putin will reshuffle the government in 2024, replace some veterans and promote new people. In 2025, he designated 2025 as the "Year of the Defenders of the Fatherland" to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of World War II and to commend soldiers. Outside analysis, this is paving the way for these veterans to gain a firm foothold in politics. In the next ten years, these people may rise from local to central governments, influencing foreign affairs and internal affairs. Putin's legacy is to emphasize sovereignty and national pride. These people will continue to do it, may be more politically tough, and strengthen central control at home.
Of course, there are many challenges. Internationally, some of these people are controversial because of their battlefield behavior, but the West does not recognize them. The domestic economy is difficult, energy transformation is slow, and population problems are urgent. These newcomers lack experience and will be troublesome if they can't handle them properly. The Russian military will still be recruiting people in 2025 to build strategic reserves, but manpower shortage is an old problem. Putin did not want to mobilize and was afraid of social unrest, so he relied on high salaries to attract volunteers. However, it is reported that the effect of this move will weaken in 2025, making it difficult to recruit people. In October 2025, Parliament passed a new draft allowing for more flexible deployment of reserve military forces.
Putin did not specify who would be his successor, but the plan is more like building a ladder. There have been rumors in the past, Medvedev, Kim, but now the focus is on these soldiers. Putin said in May 2025 that he always wanted a successor, but not publicly. Russia's reorganization in 2024-2025 is like preparing for the post-Putin era. The role of the National Committee is strengthened, planned for 2035 or even 2050, involving military reform, drones, AI and so on. Russia also shares experience with China, Iran and strengthens cooperation.
Overall, this plan is Putin's clever move to ensure a smooth transition of power. Russia's society is tired of conflict and its economy is declining, but Putin's support rate is still high. When soldiers enter politics, they can stabilize their morale, but in the long run, international isolation and internal problems will test them. The future direction of Russia depends on whether these "heroes" can adapt to the challenges of globalization. Putin's choice is indeed surprising, but it makes logical sense.