--- title: "State Duma Passes Bill in First Reading to Count Military Service Toward Municipal Seniority: Who Is Affected" description: "The State Duma has adopted in the first reading a bill counting military service toward municipal seniority. It affects Ministry of Defense and Rosgvardiya military personnel and opens access to leadership posts and benefits." date: 2026-11-11T21:11:01.267Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/state-duma-counts-military-service-municipal-seniority tags: [russia, state-duma, municipal-service, veterans, legislation] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # State Duma Passes Bill in First Reading to Count Military Service Toward Municipal Seniority: Who Is Affected ![Purple neon medal on a dark background illustrating the law on counting military service toward municipal seniority.](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/11/gosduma-zaschitat-voennuyu-sluzhbu-v-stazh-munitsipalnoy-sluzhby/gosduma-zaschitat-voennuyu-sluzhbu-v-stazh-munitsipalnoy-sluzhby-1.webp) ## Key Points - The State Duma adopted in the first reading a bill on counting military service toward municipal service seniority. - Privileges apply to Ministry of Defense service members and Rosgvardiya contract soldiers. - Military service is equated to the required two years of municipal experience, granting access to leadership positions, bonuses, leave, and length-of-service pensions. - The document was submitted on Vladimir Putin's instructions, with 342 deputies acting as co-authors. The State Duma has adopted in the first reading a bill that allows military service to be counted toward municipal service seniority. According to the Faridaily publication, the document extends these privileges to both Ministry of Defense service members and individuals who served under contract in the Rosgvardiya (National Guard) troops. Thus, military service will be equated to experience gained in a civilian municipal position in terms of experience requirements and associated benefits. ### Who the Initiative Affects The privileges under the new bill cover two categories of individuals: active and discharged Ministry of Defense service members, as well as Rosgvardiya contract soldiers. For both groups, military service will be counted as municipal service seniority, effectively equating army experience to working in a civilian municipal position. This means that when applying for jobs in local self-government bodies, military service will be credited toward the total seniority required for career advancement. ### What Counting Seniority Provides Currently, many high-level positions in municipal service require a minimum seniority of two years. It is this seniority that opens access to leadership positions and grants the right to a number of financial and social bonuses: additional vacation days, bonuses, and a length-of-service pension. According to Faridaily estimates, the new mechanism will allow combat veterans to claim leadership positions in municipalities without having to start their careers from low-paying positions. In fact, military service replaces the required two-year municipal experience requirement. ### Initiative and Legislative Context The bill was submitted to the State Duma on the instructions of Vladimir Putin; among its co-authors are 342 deputies. The adoption of the document in the first reading means that it can still be finalized in the second and third readings, after which it will be sent for signing. As the publication notes, in recent months the State Duma has adopted a number of laws aimed at facilitating the employment of veterans of the war with Ukraine in the sphere of public administration. The new bill continues this line, expanding opportunities for the integration of military personnel into the municipal management system. Thus, the document adopted in the first reading creates a mechanism whereby military service becomes a full-fledged element of municipal service seniority, opening access to leadership positions and associated benefits for Ministry of Defense and Rosgvardiya service members. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Госдума в первом чтении разрешила ветеранам войны с Украиной засчитывать военную службу в стаж муниципальной](https://meduza.io/news/2026/11/11/gosduma-v-pervom-chtenii-razreshila-veteranam-voyny-s-ukrainoy-zaschityvat-voennuyu-sluzhbu-v-stazh-munitsipalnoy) - Primary source; matches the basis: adoption in the first reading, coverage of the Ministry of Defense and Rosgvardiya, Putin's instruction, 342 co-authors. - [Госдума в первом чтении разрешила ветеранам войны с Украиной засчитывать военную службу в стаж ...](https://torontovka.com/news/russia/2026-11-11/gosduma-v-pervom-chtenii-razreshila-veteranam-voyny-s-ukrainoy-zaschityvat-178838) - Duplicates the content of the primary source without discrepancies in facts. - [Госдума в первом чтении приняла проект о повышении пенсий ветеранам ВОВ](https://life.ru/p/1207112) - The source is not related to the article's topic (WWII veteran pensions, 2019); not used in fact-checking. ## FAQ ### What exactly was adopted in the first reading? The State Duma adopted in the first reading a bill counting military service toward municipal service seniority. ### Who is affected by the new law? Privileges apply to Ministry of Defense service members and individuals who served under contract in the Rosgvardiya troops. ### What advantages does the counted seniority provide? Military service is equated to the required two years of municipal experience, opening access to leadership positions, allowances, additional vacation days, and length-of-service pensions. ### Who is the initiator of the bill? The document was submitted on the instructions of Vladimir Putin, with 342 State Duma deputies among the co-authors.