Contest “Revival Leaders” launched in Donbass

In the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DNR and LNR), Zaporozhye and Kherson regions of Ukraine, on September 22, the Leaders of the Revival competition started – an analogue of the Leaders of Russia supervised by the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration (AP) of the Russian Federation Sergey Kiriyenko. The message of the organizers says that the winners will be included in the personnel reserve and will be able to take leadership positions in the regions, and will also receive 1 million rubles. to study in Russia.

“Today, on the direct instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, we are launching the Leaders of the Revival competition. There is a feeling that if in Russia such a competition is a social elevator, then in the Donbass it can be a social rocket,” Kiriyenko said. The first deputy head of the Presidential Administration also noted that those who now “defend their land with weapons in their hands” will be able to take part in the Leaders of the Revival: those who serve in the military will be able to apply for a simplified procedure, including in paper form.

As indicated on the website of the Leaders of the Renaissance, registration of participants will last until October 17, the final stage of the competition is scheduled for the end of 2022 – the beginning of 2023. The website also states that participants will be selected from among the winners to undergo a special program for the development of the RANEPA personnel reserve , management workshop “Senezh”, the All-Russian educational center “Mashuk”.

To participate in the competition, you must be over 20 years old, have managerial experience of more than one year and meet one of the conditions: be a citizen of the region, be born there, live, study, work, etc.

The Leaders of Russia contest has been held since 2017 by the ANO Russia – Land of Opportunities, established by presidential decree. From among its winners, a personnel reserve is subsequently formed, primarily for government positions in the regions. Twice the finalists of the competition became governors, both times in 2018 – Dmitry Artyukhov in the YaNAO and Vasily Orlov in the Amur Region. Kiriyenko himself and other federal and regional officials are among the competition’s mentors.

“Leaders of Russia” is a landmark project for the Russian elites, political analyst Yevgeny Minchenko notes. “If the task is to include these regions in the Russian Federation, then it is logical to use the samples that exist in the country,” the political scientist believes. Minchenko also noted that the political elite in the territories was Ukrainian and now the elite “needs a new one”, although there are no problems with recruiting managers to work in the Donbass in Russia.