The “Degradation Quota”: Privileged Veterans of the War Against Ukraine Are Displacing russian Youth from Universities

russian higher education institutions have set yet another anti-record: under the so-called “smo-quota” for the 2026–2027 academic year, more than 41,800 participants in the war against Ukraine and their children were admitted. This is the highest figure since the privilege was introduced, demonstrating the accelerated decline of russian society and the deliberate destruction of higher education standards.

Trends in the filling of preferential spots:

2023: ~9,000 people;
2024: >15,000 people;
2025: ~28,700 people;
2026: 41,811 people (+46% compared to last year).

In total, approximately 56,600 state-funded spots (10% of the total) were allocated for this category, and nearly three-quarters (73%) of the quota has already been filled. Overall, 117,000 out of 620,000 state-funded students were admitted to higher education institutions under various preferential schemes.

What is most interesting is that the majority of war veterans and their children admitted to the top universities in the rf would not have been able to enroll at all without the “separate” quota. For example, at the voronezh medical institute, as many as 93% of those admitted under the separate quota based on the results of the unified state exam would not have been admitted without it. At mgimo, 87% of those eligible for preferential treatment would not have been admitted without the quota, and at national research university higher school of economics in moscow – 80%.

A system in which combat experience in a war of aggression or family ties to the occupiers carry more weight than actual knowledge and training ultimately replaces meritocracy (rule by the deserving) with aggressive propaganda. Instead of motivated and talented students, russian universities are being filled en masse with students admitted under preferential quotas, which not only undermines academic standards but also shapes a new “elite” for the aggressor nation based on loyalty to violence.