"Academy of Media Leaders": the Nizhny Novgorod delegation visited the liberated territories as part of a youth educational project

      The initiative is being implemented with the support of the regional branch of the "United Russia" party. Members of the regional branch of the "Young Guard of United Russia" from the Nizhny Novgorod region and representatives of N.N. Lobachevsky Nizhny Novgorod State University made a trip to the liberated territories. The trip combined several areas: support for military personnel, studying the experience of humanitarian missions, developing interregional youth cooperation, and creating a documentary project about the restoration of new territories. One of the key stages was visiting a unit of unmanned systems. Participants met with soldiers and commanders, learned about the conditions of service, daily life, task distribution, and the specifics of the unit's work. The experience gained will later serve as the basis for educational work with students who are considering the possibility of serving in this direction. "Many students at Lobachevsky University are already considering the possibility of signing contracts with units of the unmanned troops of the Russian Army. This prompted our team to study the situation in which our students find themselves. We visited the GROM KASKAD units and the military part of the BPS troops. We assessed the armament, training center, living conditions, and methods of work. We visited combat crews where students serve. We delivered humanitarian aid from home. We confirmed that the living conditions are good, there is enough armament — the youth of Russia will undoubtedly achieve victory over the enemy. We will convey the knowledge gained to students and teachers of Nizhny Novgorod universities," said Roman Zykov, leader of the regional branch of the "Young Guard of United Russia," a veteran of the SVO, and advisor to the rector of NNSU. The Nizhny Novgorod residents also delivered humanitarian aid to military personnel, collected by N.N. Lobachevsky Nizhny Novgorod State University and NGTU named after Alekseev: equipment, nets, and other necessary items. Participants also paid special attention to the volunteer infrastructure: the delegation visited temporary accommodation points for volunteers who come to humanitarian missions of the "Young Guard" in the DPR and LPR. The Nizhny Novgorod residents studied how the work of volunteers is organized on the ground, what tasks they perform, and how assistance is structured for residents, social institutions, and military personnel. An important part of the trip was the implementation of the "Media Leaders Academy" project aimed at forming a youth media community and creating socially significant content. During the trip, project participants communicated with volunteers from hospitals, temporary accommodation points, and social funds, documenting the stories of people who help others daily. Students filmed how life flows in the liberated territories, where restoration is taking place after hostilities. The result of the work will be a documentary film and a photo exhibition telling about the people, assistance, and the return to peaceful life. "We went there to hear the people — fighters, volunteers, students, those who live and work in the liberated territories. There is a lot of strength, pain, hope, and real faith in the future in these stories. The 'Media Leaders Academy' teaches young people to see meanings, feel responsibility for their words, and create materials that can truly change society's attitude towards important events," noted Oleg Frolov, head of the "Media Leaders Academy" project, ambassador of grants and forums of the Youth Initiatives 2026. Additionally, as part of the educational program, participants visited DonNTU, where they held a meeting with students. The Nizhny Novgorod residents talked about the creation and implementation of media initiatives, opportunities for grant support for youth projects, and congratulated university staff on the upcoming 105th anniversary of the university. A dialogue was also held at the university with representatives of the Youth Parliament of the Donetsk People's Republic. The parties discussed the prospects for further cooperation, joint youth initiatives, and opportunities for experience exchange between activists from the Nizhny Novgorod region and the DPR. "Youth can be real participants in significant social processes. We saw how important horizontal connections are between regions, between students, volunteers, young parliamentarians, and public organizations. Our cooperation will allow us to create projects together that work for a common future," shared Ilya Petrov, a member of the Youth Parliament of the Nizhny Novgorod region. Materials created during the trip will be presented soon and disseminated in urban and regional venues. The project "Training and Formation Program for the Youth Media Community 'Media Leaders Academy'" is being implemented with the support of Rosmolodyozh. Grants. Let us remind you that supporting participants of the SVO is one of the key areas of the People's Program of "United Russia." The party assists volunteer groups by providing accommodation, materials, and delivering humanitarian cargo. It also provides ongoing support to military personnel, internally displaced persons, those in liberated territories, and residents of border regions.