The new season of the House of National Unity project "Stories of SVOikh" has started in the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

      The second season of the patriotic project “Stories of Our Own” of the House of National Unity kicked off with a meeting with Anton Nikonov — a veteran of the special military operation with the call sign “Shorokh,” a participant in the “Heroes. Nizhny Novgorod Region” program. He met with students of the Bolsheboldino Agricultural Technical School and the Gaginsky branch of the Lukoyanov Provincial College.

      In the SVO zone “Shorokh” served as deputy commander of an assault unit for artillery. Now Anton Nikonov is the director of the public organization “Northern Wind” and deputy director of the NGO “Victory Technologies.”

      At the meeting students were shown a documentary film about the SVO. After the screening, the veteran answered questions from students and teachers. They were interested in the hero’s combat experience, his education, and the risks at the front.

      “There were many interesting questions. The students asked what brought me to the front, whether I was afraid. At such meetings I get charged with energy and positivity. I see the burning eyes of children and teenagers, I observe their interest. The main thing is that they understand what I’m talking about; it matters to them,” Anton Nikonov noted.

      Asked about fear, the hero answered: “I saw cowardly people, but I did not see people without fear.”

      Each of the educational institutions had full audiences for the meeting with the SVO veteran. In total — about 200 people.

      “It was interesting to learn how people live at the front. I wanted to ask questions, to talk to someone who has seen everything with his own eyes,” said Andrey Voronin, a student of the Gaginsky branch of the State Budgetary Professional Educational Institution “Lukoyanov Provincial College.”

      “I believe such meetings are very necessary so that young people are proud of their country. I was interested to learn about the hero’s family. I saw that he is a courageous man who is not afraid of anything,” said Svetlana Mizyukina, a student of the Bolsheboldino Agricultural Technical School.

      At the Bolsheboldino technical school students presented the guest with camouflage nets for the needs of the front. The leadership and teachers of the educational institutions also took an active part in the conversation.

      “Such meetings with real people who were in the SVO help young people believe in themselves; the students understand that they are capable of something, that they are needed. After talking with the heroes you feel proud of your Motherland, you are not ashamed to say that you are Russian, a patriot of your country,” said Alexander Galkin, director of the Bolsheboldino Agricultural Technical School.

      The next meeting within the framework of the “Stories of Our Own” project will take place at the Nizhny Novgorod College of Urban Economy and Entrepreneurship. “It is very important that our youth communicate with heroes, with people who have been at the front. It’s wonderful that the students have so many questions. SVO veterans are strong personalities. They are an excellent benchmark; they are definitely worth emulating,” said Dmitry Grachev, Deputy Minister of Internal Regional and Municipal Policy of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, SVO veteran, and Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Association of SVO Veterans of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

      Recall that the first season of the “Stories of Our Own” project ran from September 2024 to May 2025. About 30 meetings were held in colleges of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, attended by more than 1,000 students. During the events the students watched documentary films, communicated with veterans and active fighters of the SVO, and sent letters and cards with good wishes to the front.

      As previously reported, the “Heroes. Nizhny Novgorod Region” program is aimed at integrating and employing veterans of the special military operation into the system of public administration. In March 2025, an agreement was signed between the government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), and KUPNO on cooperation in implementing this program. Registration to participate in it ended on March 31: during the selection campaign 1,613 applications were received from residents of Nizhny Novgorod.

      Based on the total points from questionnaires, testing, online interviews and assessment, as well as the results of in-person interviews with the Deputy Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Andrey Gneushev, 60 participants were selected for the main educational program and 30 people were chosen to be included in the next cohort of the program upon returning to the region.

      On August 4, 2025, the official opening of the training under the “Heroes. Nizhny Novgorod Region” program took place; the ceremony was attended by the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Gleb Nikitin. Sixty people selected for participation in the educational program began their studies.

      More news about the event:

      - The new season of the House of National Unity project “Stories of Our Own” has started in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

       Source: House of National Unity

       The second season of the patriotic project “Stories of Our Own” of the House of National Unity started with a meeting with Anton Nikonov — a veteran of the special military operation with the call sign “Shorokh,” 21:21 26.09.2025 Gazeta Rabochaya Balakhna - Balakhna

      - The new season of the House of National Unity project “Stories of Our Own” has started in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

       The second season of the patriotic project “Stories of Our Own” of the House of National Unity started with a meeting with Anton Nikonov — a veteran of the special military operation with the call sign “Shorokh,” participant of the “Heroes,” 16:13 26.09.2025 Gazeta Lukoyanovskaya Pravda - Lukoyanov

      - The new season of the House of National Unity project “Stories of Our Own” has started in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

       The second season of the patriotic project “Stories of Our Own” of the House of National Unity started with a meeting with Anton Nikonov — a veteran of the special military operation with the call sign “Shorokh,” participant of the “Heroes,” 15:53 26.09.2025 Gazeta Rayonny Vestnik - Pervomaysk

      - The new season of the House of National Unity project “Stories of Our Own” has started in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

       Photo: House of National Unity

       The second season of the patriotic project “Stories of Our Own” of the House of National Unity started with a meeting with Anton Nikonov — a veteran of the special military operation with the call sign “Shorokh,” 15:33 26.09.2025 Vremya N - Nizhny Novgorod

      - A new season of “Stories of Our Own” has started in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

       The second season of the patriotic project of the House of National Unity “Stories of Our Own” has begun in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. 14:52 26.09.2025 NTA-Privolzhye - Nizhny Novgorod

      - The new season of the House of National Unity project “Stories of Our Own” has started in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

       The second season of the patriotic project “Stories of Our Own” of the House of National Unity started with a meeting with Anton Nikonov — a veteran of the special military operation with the call sign “Shorokh,” participant of the “Heroes,” 14:45 26.09.2025 Nizhegorodskaya Pravda - Nizhny Novgorod

      - The new season of the House of National Unity project “Stories of Our Own” has started in the Nizhny Novgorod Region

       The second season of the patriotic project “Stories of Our Own” of the House of National Unity started with a meeting with Anton Nikonov — a veteran of the special military operation with the call sign “Shorokh,” participant of the “Heroes,” 14:33 26.09.2025 Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region - Nizhny Novgorod

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      - Meeting with the head of the “Youth of Moscow” project, Margarita Yuryevna Savinkina

       A meeting with the head of the “Youth of Moscow” project, Margarita Yuryevna Savinkina, was held at the Russian State University of Justice named after V. M. Lebedev. 12:55 26.09.2025 Russian State University of Justice - Moscow

      - Meeting with SVO heroes at BSTU “VOENMEKH” named after D.F. Ustinov

       Today, September 24, a meeting was held at BSTU “VOENMEKH” named after D.F. Ustinov with participants of the special military operation — recipients of combat awards who demonstrated courage and resilience. 16:37 24.09.2025 BSTU Voenmekh named after D.F. Ustinov - Saint Petersburg