In recent years, this phrase has become less common in the military than the phrase "housing issue." This makes it all the more interesting to meet someone whose professional responsibility is not only to raise questions about housing for military personnel, but also to find appropriate solutions. Colonel Nikolai ZONOV, Head of the Housing Department of the Ural Military District, shares his insights on how to address the housing problem in the Ural Military District. - Nikolai Vasilyevich, how has the situation with housing for Ural Military District soldiers changed recently? - To be honest, it has become more complicated due to the events in the North Caucasus. There have been no significant changes in the financing of housing construction for the military. This is a crucial indicator, as we are building with our own resources. Additionally, there is a significant number of unaccompanied officers and warrant officers. As of January 1, 2023, 4,082 of them were without housing, and 822 were in need of improved living conditions. The majority of these individuals are members of the ground forces and district-level military personnel, with a total of 3,925. "But as far as I know, the district's CEC, and your department in particular, have been recognized as among the best in the Minister of Defense's directive..." - Yes, we did a good job with the "Government Housing Certificates" program. We have the highest percentage of certificate sales in the Armed Forces, and the number of certificates as a percentage of the number of homeless people is higher than in other districts... - How is this expressed in numbers? - Through the state housing certificates, we have received 525 apartments for military personnel who are being discharged. This is a really good result. The Chelyabinsk region has the highest number of certificates that have been sold. There, 221 apartments have been purchased. Kurgan also has a good result, with 106 of the 108 certificates sold. In Tyum ... Read more