Currently, a number of problems remain unresolved in rural areas: migration of young people and the working-age population to cities, aging of the population, and a shortage of qualified personnel in the agro-industrial complex. The article analyzes the experience of providing assistance to veterans of the special military operation (SVO) in organizing activities in the agro-industrial complex and ru-ral areas. It seems relevant to involve SVO veterans, who have experience in pro-fessional and teamwork, in the socio-economic development of rural areas, in-cluding in the agricultural sector. Such activities are already being carried out in most regions of the country through specialized funds and organizations, provid-ing consulting assistance, grants, educational services, and benefits in the field of agricultural development. The article demonstrates the economic, social, and demographic effects of integrating veterans into the socio-economic development of rural areas.
Zakshevskii et al. (2026) studied this question.