Activists Raise Concern Over Inauthentic War Veterans Wearing Medals from Marketplaces

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In Russia, the situation with awards for participation in the Special Military Operation (SVO) has completely spiraled out of control, members of the Public Chamber declared at a recent meeting dedicated to this issue, according to Kommersant.

Activists pointed out that foundations, NGOs, and even individuals are issuing a large number of orders and medals that resemble state awards, while online marketplaces are selling replicas of real decorations. On the wave of support for SVO participants, the number of fake veterans is growing, who use awards to gain trust and extort money under the pretext of collecting humanitarian aid. These "fake veterans" give speeches at schools and universities, and in case of criminal prosecution, they ask the court to "show leniency to a veteran."

According to Public Chamber representatives, after the SVO ends, the problem will only worsen, as fraudsters will "take to the streets to beg." Therefore, the issue of uncontrolled award issuance and wearing must be addressed immediately.

"The most frightening thing is that they are infiltrating power structures. This problem needs to be addressed not only through public condemnation but also through legislative measures," the activists emphasized.

Having identified the problem, the meeting participants decided to create a working group on the issue of awards under the auspices of the Public Chamber and, as a first step, address the issue with online marketplaces.