Register of WWII Veterans 2026: how to...

Russia has a unified system for recording participants in the Great Patriotic War - WWII veterans registry, which is maintained by the Ministry of Defense and regional social protection authorities. This document not only records the feat of the generation of winners, but also serves as the basis for the provision of benefits, payments and social support. However, many relatives of veterans face problems: how to check whether a loved one is included in the registry? Where to go if there is no data? And what documents confirm the status of a veteran today, 80 years after the Victory?

In this article we will look at current verification methods through official sources (including the portal Public services and archives of the Ministry of Defense), we will explain how to correct errors in the registry, and list all benefits to which WWII veterans and members of their families are entitled in 2026. We will pay special attention to the nuances for residents of the LPR/DPR and other new regions of the Russian Federation - their inclusion in the register has specific rules.

What is the register of WWII veterans and why is it needed?

The register of veterans of the Great Patriotic War is centralized database, containing information about all war participants, home front workers, Leningrad siege survivors and other categories of citizens entitled to state support. Maintaining the register is regulated by:

📜 Federal Law No. 5-FZ “About veterans” (article 2)
📄 Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 763 from 2014
🔗 By Order of the Ministry of Labor No. 888n (procedure for register formation)

Main functions of the registry:

Status confirmation veteran to receive benefits (for example, EDV - monthly cash payment).
Automatic accrual pensions and compensation (for example, for disability received in war).
Providing medical care and sanatorium-resort treatment.
Preservation of historical memory — data is transferred to archives for future generations.

Important: registry is not closed — some information is available for search by relatives through official portals. However, complete information (such as benefits) is disclosed only to the veteran or his authorized representative.

📊 Are you or your relatives WWII veterans?

Yes, I'm a veteran myself
Yes, my relative
No, but I'm interested in the topic
I don't know, I need to check

How to check if a veteran is included in the register: 4 official ways

If you want to find out whether your relative is on the register, use one of the proven methods. They are all free and do not require visiting the archives (except in controversial cases).

1. State Services Portal (gosuslugi.ru)

The fastest way is to search through Personal account:

Login to Public services (verified account required).
Go to section Services → Pension, benefits and benefits → Veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
Select the Veteran Background Check option.
Enter your full name, date of birth, and (if possible) veteran's ID number.

⚠️ Attention: If the system does not find data, this does not always mean it is not in the registry. There may be technical glitches or data discrepancies (for example, if a maiden name is indicated in the archives).

2. Official website of the Ministry of Defense (“Memory of the People”)

Project "Memory of the People" contains digital copies of archival documents:

🔍 Search by card files of awardees (orders, medals).
📊 Reports of irreparable losses (if the veteran is missing in action).
📖 Combat logs units of the Red Army.

Instructions:

On the main page, select the “Database Search” tab.
Indicate your full name, year of birth, military rank (if known).
Study the documents found - they serve as confirmation of participation in the war.

💡

If the veteran served in the Air Force or Navy, check in the search branch of the military - this will narrow down the results and speed up the review.

3. Contacting social security authorities

If your online search does not produce results, please submit a request to territorial department of social protection at the veteran's place of residence. You will need:

📋 Veteran's passport (or death certificate if a relative submits the request).
🏆 A copy of the WWII veteran’s ID (if any).
📝 Application for verification of information (a sample will be issued on the spot).

Response deadline: until 30 days. If a veteran is not found in the registry, social security is obliged to help with the restoration of documents.

4. Archives of the Ministry of Defense (for complex cases)

If the veteran served in special forces (for example, reconnaissance, partisan detachments) or its data is classified, contact Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense:

Адрес: 125212, г. Москва, ул. Авиамоторная, д. 54 Телефон: +7 (495) 465-63-91

Электронная почта: camo@mil.ru

You can send your request by mail (by registered mail) or via single portal of archives archives.ru.

💡

If the veteran was drafted from another republic of the USSR (for example, Ukraine or Belarus), check the registries of these countries - the data may not be transferred to the Russian registry automatically.

Step-by-step instructions: how to add a veteran to the register

If your relative participated in the war, but is not listed in the register, his information can be added. The procedure depends on is the veteran alive or not?.

If the veteran is alive

Algorithm of actions:

Collect a package of documents (passport, veteran’s ID, photographs)|Fill out an application at social security or through the MFC|Submit documents in person or through an authorized representative|Wait for verification (up to 30 days)|Receive notification of inclusion in the register-->

⚠️ Attention: If a veteran does not have an ID, it can be restored through military registration and enlistment office at your place of residence. For this you will need:

📄 Archival extracts about the service (from the project “Memory of the People” or TsAMO).
👤 Certificates of colleagues (if documents are lost).

If a veteran dies

Relatives can initiate inclusion in the register posthumously. To do this you need:

Get archival certificate about the service (through “Memory of the People” or TsAMO).
Contact social protection with application and documents:
- Death certificate.
- Documents confirming relationship (birth certificate, marriage certificate).
- Archival extracts.

Wait for the commission's decision (deadline - until 2 months).

✅ After inclusion in the register, relatives will be able to issue:

💰 One-time payment for burial (if not received earlier).
🏥 Compensation of expenses for the installation of a tombstone.
🎖 Posthumous awards (for example, anniversary medals).

Benefits for WWII veterans and their families in 2026

Inclusion in the register gives the right to federal and regional benefits. Their list is enshrined in Federal Law No. 5-FZ and is indexed annually. In 2026, WWII veterans are entitled to:

Benefit category	What does it include	Size/conditions (2026)
Monthly cash payment (MAP)	Fixed amount towards pension	7,500 ₽ (indexation by 4.5% from February 1)
Tax benefits	Exemption from property tax, land tax benefits	100% for veterans, 50% for family members
Medical care	Free medicines, prosthetics, spa treatment	By prescription (the list of drugs will be expanded in 2026)
Housing subsidies	Compensation for housing and communal services (50%), provision of housing (if the veteran registered before 2005)	Up to 100% compensation in some regions
Transport benefits	Free travel on public transport, discounts on train tickets	100% for veterans, 50% for accompanying persons

🔹 For family members of veterans (widows, children, dependents) provided for:

💸 Survivor's benefit (if the veteran died from a military injury).
🏠 Benefits for paying for major repairs (50% discount).
🎓 Advantage when entering universities (for children and grandchildren).

⚠️ Attention: B LPR/DPR and new regions of the Russian Federation (Zaporozhye, Kherson regions) benefits are provided according to a simplified scheme until 2026. To obtain them, you need to confirm your veteran status through local social services departments.

What documents confirm the right to benefits?

To apply for benefits you will need:

1. Certificate of a WWII veteran (original + copy).

2. Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.

3. SNILS.

4. Certificate from the Pension Fund about the amount of pension (for calculating the monthly allowance).

5. Documents confirming relationship (for family members).

If the ID is lost, it can be restored through the military registration and enlistment office or the archives of the Ministry of Defense.

Common registry problems and how to solve them

When working with the registry of WWII veterans, typical difficulties arise. Let's look at the most common ones and how to eliminate them.

1. The veteran is in the archives, but not in the registry.

Reasons:

📂 Error during data transfer between archives and social protection.
📝 Incomplete information (for example, there is no demobilization date).
🏛 Departmental affiliation (if a veteran served in the NKVD or SMERSH, his data might not be included in the general register).

Solution:

Get archival certificate through “Memory of the People” or TsAMO.
Contact social protection with an application for amendments (attach a certificate).
If they refuse, file a complaint with prosecutor's office or Rospotrebnadzor.

2. Data error (incorrect last name, date of birth)

Such errors often occur due to typos in archival documents or change of surname (for example, after the war). To fix:

Collect evidence of correct data (passport, marriage certificate).
Write a statement to social protection asking for corrections.
If there is an error in the archives of the Ministry of Defense, contact TsAMO with a request for correction.

3. Veteran from another country (Ukraine, Belarus, Baltic states)

Citizens of the former USSR who participated in the war can be included in the Russian register if:

🇷🇺 They got Russian citizenship.
📋 Have service documents (even if issued in Ukrainian/Belarusian).
🏠 Live in Russia (including new regions).

Valid for them simplified procedure - it is enough to provide:

Russian Federation passport.
Veteran's ID (or its copy certified by a translator).
A certificate from the archives of the country of origin (if the ID is lost).

4. Refusal to include in the register

If social security or the archive refuse to include in the register, check:

🔍 Grounds for refusal (must be stated in written response).
📅 Deadlines for appeal (30 days from the date of refusal).
📜 Completeness of documents (perhaps there is not enough archival extract).

You can appeal a refusal:

📝 B higher social protection body (regional administration).
⚖️ B court (if the refusal is illegal).
📞 B Ministry of Labor hotline by phone 8 (800) 707-34-36.

Register of WWII veterans for new regions of the Russian Federation (LPR, DPR, Zaporozhye, Kherson)

After reunification with Russia, residents Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions received the right to be included in the Russian register of WWII veterans. However, the procedure has some peculiarities:

1. Who can apply for inclusion

The following are entered into the register:

👴 WWII participantsliving in new regions.
👩‍🦳 Home front workers (if they worked at enterprises that supplied the front).
👶 Children of war (born before 1945).

2. What documents are needed

For residents of new regions it is enough:

📄 Veteran's ID, issued in Ukraine (until 2014).
🇷🇺 Certificate of registration at place of residence in the Russian Federation.
📝 Statement to social security (the form will be issued on the spot).

✅ Simplification: A notarized translation of Ukrainian documents is not required—copies are sufficient.

3. Terms and benefits

Inclusion in the register takes up to 60 days (instead of the standard 30). After confirming their status, veterans of new regions are provided with:

💰 EDV in the amount of 7,500 ₽ (as for other veterans).
🏥 Free medical care in Russian clinics.
🏠 Housing and communal services compensation (50% discount).

⚠️ Attention: Veterans from new regions who will not have time to apply for benefits before January 1, 2026, you will have to go through the procedure according to the general rules (with the provision of archival certificates).

How can relatives confirm veteran status after death?

If a WWII veteran died, his relatives can posthumously confirm status for obtaining benefits (for example, for installing a tombstone or receiving anniversary medals). To do this you need:

1. Collect documents

You will need:

📋 Death certificate.
🏆 Copy of veteran's ID (if saved).
📄 Archival information about the service (from “Memory of the People” or TsAMO).
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Documents on kinship (birth certificate, marriage certificate).

2. Contact social security

Apply to social protection department at the veteran's place of residence. Please indicate in it:

Purpose of the appeal (for example, “confirmation of status for the installation of a tombstone”).
List of attached documents.
Contact details for communication.

3. Obtaining a status certificate

After verification (deadline - until 30 days) you will receive certificate recognizing a veteran as a participant in the Second World War. It gives the right to:

💰 One-time payment for burial (if not received earlier).
🎖 Posthumous awards (for example, the medal “75 Years of Victory”).
🏛 Perpetuation of memory (entry into the Memory Book of the region).

✅ Advice: If the veteran was awarded orders or medals, check their availability in electronic document bank “Feat of the People” (podvignaroda.ru). This will speed up the status confirmation process.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

My grandfather fought, but he is not on the register. What to do?

First, check his details on the People's Memory portal (pamyat-naroda.ru). If there is information about the service there, contact social security with an application to be included in the register. Attach an archival certificate and a copy of your grandfather’s passport. If there are no documents, request them through TsAMO (the central archive of the Ministry of Defense).

Is it possible to check the register of WWII veterans by last name without registering with State Services?

Yes, but the possibilities will be limited. Without registration you can:

Search for data in open archives (“Memory of the People”, “Feat of the People”).
Contact regional archive with a written request.

However, to obtain official statement from the register you will need authorization at State Services or a personal application to social security.

What benefits are entitled to the widow of a WWII veteran after his death?

Widows of WWII veterans have the right to:

💰 Survivor's pension (if the veteran died from a military injury).
🏠 50% discount on housing and communal services payments.
🚗 Transport tax benefits (in some regions).
🏥 Free medical care in departmental clinics.

To apply for benefits you must present:

Veteran's death certificate.
Marriage certificate.
Veteran's ID (or archival certificate).

How to restore a WWII veteran's ID card if it is lost?

To restore your ID, contact:

Military registration and enlistment office at place of residence (if the veteran is alive).
TsAMO (Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense) - if the veteran died or the documents were lost a long time ago.
MFC - to submit an application for reinstatement.