Prilepin explained why he returned after a six-month service in the special military operation.

      June 4, 2026 16:42 Society NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" - Anastasia Nazarova Colonel of the National Guard Zakhar Prilepin has returned from the zone of the special military operation after a six-month contract as part of the volunteer corps. The editor-in-chief of NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" met with him on June 4 at the CUPNO site, where the fifth season of the youth project "Leaders of the Nizhny Novgorod Region" was launched.

      In response to a question from NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" about whether the set goals had been achieved, Prilepin stated that this has not yet happened.

      "No, of course, we have not achieved any goals because our goals are common, and they end roughly in the city of Kyiv, on Khreshchatyk. We have not been able to achieve them, and in the near future, we will not be able to," he said.

      According to Prilepin, during his last business trip, he was engaged in non-combat, but staff work.

      "I served for fifteen and a half years in various paramilitary units and in various special forces. And at the age of fifty, I first got into management. I was at the headquarters, with the deputy head of the volunteer corps," Prilepin said.

      He added that the range of tasks was very broad and, in his assessment, they managed to cope with them. "Everyone was satisfied."

      "The contract was for six months; they didn't really want to let me go. They are still waiting for me to return," the interlocutor of NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" added.

      The writer explained his decision to return by the large number of accumulated affairs in civilian life.

      "There is just such a variety of affairs in life related to politics, culture, books, dogs, children, cats, and everything else that entire areas have been hanging for six months," Prilepin explained.

      The writer also expressed his views on the perception of the special military operation in Russian society. In his opinion, many residents of the regions initially hoped that the events taking place would not directly affect them.

      "People in Nizhny Novgorod, like in any other region, secretly assumed that there was some commotion, that everything would somehow settle down, that everything would pass, and everything would be as if nothing had happened," he stated.

      However, the attitude is changing, Prilepin believes.

      "Now, looking at the surroundings, at our cities, at Kstovo, Dzerzhinsk, and everything else, people are increasingly realizing that this is a common cause," he concluded.

      Earlier, we reported that Zakhar Prilepin's 21-year-old son is fighting in the special military operation. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When republishing, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+